Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light
Name	Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2006
Location	Pennsylvania, United States
Area served	Pennsylvania
Focus	Faith-based environmentalism, climate advocacy, energy conservation

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light is an American faith-based environmental organization active in Pennsylvania that mobilizes religious communities on climate, energy, and environmental justice. It works with congregations across denominations to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and public policy engagement on climate-related legislation. The organization situates its activities within broader networks of environmental, religious, and civic institutions to influence local and state-level decision-making.

History

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light emerged in the mid-2000s amid national conversations involving Al Gore, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Roman Catholic Church, and ecumenical efforts such as Creation Care movements. Its founding paralleled initiatives by Interfaith Power & Light affiliates in other states and responded to policy debates involving Pennsylvania General Assembly, Environmental Protection Agency, and regional debates over Marcellus Shale development. Early campaigns engaged with issues prominent in the offices of figures like Ed Rendell and organizations such as Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and local dioceses, aligning congregational efforts with actions taken by municipalities like Philadelphia and counties including Allegheny County. Over time the group coordinated with national efforts tied to events featuring speakers such as Bill McKibben and educational programs influenced by reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Mission and Programs

The stated mission emphasizes stewardship principles found in teachings of traditions represented by partners such as Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Jewish federations in cities like Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. Programs include congregation-based energy audits using frameworks promoted by U.S. Department of Energy, renewable energy campaigns referencing technologies from companies like Tesla, Inc. and community solar models seen in Roxbury (Boston), and environmental justice work in collaboration with groups like NAACP and Coalition for the Homeless. Educational curricula draw on sources associated with Yale School of the Environment, Harvard Divinity School, and faith-led climate courses propagated by networks around Sabbath and Justice initiatives.

Organizational Structure

The organization operates with a board and staff model common to nonprofits such as Environmental Defense Fund and World Wildlife Fund. Leadership typically includes an executive director, program coordinators, and volunteer coordinators who liaise with clergy from institutions like Trinity Church (Philadelphia), temple leaders in Pittsburgh Synagogue communities, and campus ministries at universities including University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Decision-making intersects with advisory committees resembling structures at Common Cause and regional coordination with faith networks modeled on Faith in Public Life.

Partnerships and Coalitions

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light maintains partnerships with environmental groups such as PennEnvironment, Clean Air Council, and Montgomery County Conservation District, as well as faith-based coalitions like Catholic Climate Covenant and interfaith councils in metropolitan regions including Lehigh Valley and Scranton. It participates in state coalitions addressing energy policy alongside Pennsylvania Coal Alliance actors on some dialogues and more progressive stakeholders like 350.org in campaigns targeting utilities such as PECO Energy Company and FirstEnergy. Collaborative projects have included joint events with cultural institutions like Carnegie Museum of Natural History and policy briefings with think tanks such as PennFuture and The Keystone Research Center.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

Advocacy work targets legislative and regulatory arenas including engagement with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, testimony before committees of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and campaigns around state-level participation in regional programs like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The group has participated in actions related to statewide policies on renewable portfolio standards debated by administrations including those of Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf, and has joined coalitions pressing for utility grid modernization discussed in filings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Advocacy also addresses environmental justice provisions informed by litigation strategies used by organizations such as Earthjustice.

Community Outreach and Education

Community outreach includes workshops, sermons, and seasonal campaigns leveraging liturgical calendars from traditions including Lent, Ramadan, and Sukkot to connect faith teachings to climate action. Educational events have featured speakers from institutions such as Swarthmore College, Villanova University, and educators associated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The organization organizes climate fairs, energy retrofit training drawing on models from Habitat for Humanity, and youth programs coordinated with campus groups like 350.org Student Climate Network and faith-based youth ministries.

Funding and Grants

Funding sources mirror typical nonprofit mixes with support from foundations like the Energy Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and regional philanthropic entities such as the William Penn Foundation, along with donations from congregations and individual benefactors connected to institutions including Wells Fargo philanthropic programs and community foundations in regions like Chester County. Grants have been sought for projects that align with federal programs administered by agencies like Department of Energy and state grants facilitated through offices such as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Category:Environmental organizations based in Pennsylvania Category:Religious organizations based in the United States