Senator Bob Casey Is A Climate Champion Who Will Protect Our Progress 

Senator Bob Casey is a climate champion for Pennsylvanians who is working to grow the Keystone State’s clean energy economy. Casey knows climate change is a crisis – and he has taken action by introducing legislation to curb pollution and supporting legislation to help address the worst impacts of the crisis, such as extreme heat, extreme rainfall, and flooding, as well as air and water pollution. Casey has also worked to hold Big Oil accountable, calling for an industry-wide investigation into the industry’s price-fixing and cosponsoring legislation to protect consumers from price hikes. Casey supported the clean energy plan, which has already spurred $1.08 billion in private investment and created 2,881 new clean energy jobs in the Keystone State while saving Pennsylvanians money on their bills.

In stark contrast, Connecticut hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick, who is running for Senate for the second time in two years, has made oil and gas production a centerpiece of his campaign. McCormick refused to acknowledge human activity as the main driver of climate change and has falsely claimed that natural gas production “helps the environment” while advocating to involve the fossil fuel industry in environmental policy. His energy platform is legislated climate denial –  McCormick believes fossil fuels, which are by far the largest contributors to climate change, are actually a solution to the crisis and claims they are “great for the environment.” In contrast to Casey’s work to address extreme weather and pollution, McCormick has not addressed the impacts of the climate crisis on Pennsylvania – rather, he’s called for the repeal of legislation that seeks to address extreme rain and flooding, clean air and water, and more.

McCormick is vastly out of touch with Pennsylvanians. 78% of Pennsylvanians support significantly increasing the use of renewable energy like wind and solar to generate electricity, but McCormick has blasted the “extreme green agenda” for funding wind and solar projects. In Pennsylvania, the impacts of climate change will mean hotter temperatures, increased drought, and more frequent heavy rainstorms. The state’s agriculture, its economy, and people’s health will all be hurt: 

• In the past decade, Pennsylvania has experienced 56 billion-dollar climate-related disasters that caused $230 billion in damages and killed 609 people. 
• Climate change has caused Pennsylvania to see an increase in temperatures and extreme heat events, putting people’s lives at risk. In Pennsylvania, temperatures are projected to rise by at least 6.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050 and up to 10.4 degrees by 2100. 
• Due to climate change, extreme precipitation events are projected to increase in Pennsylvania, causing more intense flooding and landslides. About 5.5% of Pennsylvania is located in FEMA 100-year floodplains and 5.8% in 500-year floodplains, while 6.5% of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Justice (EJ) areas are located in 100-year floodplains and 7.1% in 500-year floodplains. 
• According to the 2024 State of the Air Report, parts of Pennsylvania have some of the worst pollution in the nation. The Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton metro area ranked 19th for the worst annual particle pollution in the nation. 
• In 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey tested 161 Pennsylvania rivers and streams for PFAS and found 76% contained one or more types of the chemical. Pennsylvania also ranks ninth in the U.S. in coal ash production, with 70 coal ash dump sites leaking pollution into groundwater across the state.
• A 2023 study found that Pennsylvania’s municipal governments will need to spend at least $15.47 billion by 2040 to protect residents from climate disaster events. 

Advancing Climate Action

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While Senator Bob Casey has acknowledged the climate crisis and introduced legislation to curb pollution, McCormick refused to acknowledge that human activity is the main driver of climate change and believes fossil fuels, which are by far the largest contributors to climate change, are actually a solution to the crisis.

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• Casey voted for the clean energy plan, which has already delivered $17 billion in funding to Pennsylvania, including $27 million to expand access to trees and green spaces. 

• In 2022, Casey introduced legislation to reduce pollution from the production of iron, steel, and steel mill products.
• Casey acknowledges that climate change is a crisis that threatens the health of the environment for future generations and believes we must “invest in meaningful climate action now.” 
• Casey supports increasing “the use of renewable energy to address the climate crisis.”Energy | Senator Bob Casey

• McCormick wouldn’t concede that human energy consumption is the main driver of climate change, saying only that “human activity is one of the many contributing factors.”
• McCormick believes fossil fuels, which are by far the largest contributors to climate change, are actually a solution to the crisis and claims they are “great for the environment.” 
• McCormick said he “couldn’t agree more” about involving the fossil fuel industry in environmental solutions. 

Expanding The Clean Energy Economy

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As of June 2024, Pennsylvania has received over $17 billion in funding from the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy plan – that’s money going to communities all across the state to expand the clean energy economy. Clean energy means good-paying jobs for Pennsylvanians, but Dave McCormick is undermining climate action and our opportunity to build a clean energy future. McCormick has committed to leading the Republican effort to halt clean energy tax credits and called for rolling back the clean energy plan, which has already spurred $1.09 billion in investment and helped create 2,881 new clean energy jobs in the Keystone State. 

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• Casey voted for the clean energy plan, which has already spurred over $1 billion in investment and helped create 2,881 new clean energy jobs in the Keystone State.
• The Casey-backed clean energy plan provided Pennsylvania a $396 million grant – the second largest federal grant in state history – to help the state’s manufacturers lead the way in clean manufacturing.
• In 2009, Casey introduced the Green Transportation Efficiency Act, which would authorize the issuance of vouchers to offset the purchase or lease price of fuel-efficient cars. 
• In 2009, Casey cosponsored the Cleaner, Greener, and Smarter Act, which called for making and encouraging significant investments in green job creation and clean energy across the economy.
• In 2010, Casey cosponsored the 10 Million Solar Roofs Act, which incentivized the purchase and installation of solar energy systems. 
• In 2021, Casey voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already begun building electric vehicle charging stations in Pennsylvania as part of a $171.5 million effort. 
• In 2024, Casey successfully delivered $90 million for a historic utility-scale solar project in Clearfield County, which is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 homes per year. The funding came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Casey championed. 
• Casey supports increasing “the use of renewable energy to address the climate crisis” and advocated for utility-scale solar projects in Pennsylvania, saying they “could bring the opportunities of the green energy economy to the very coalfields that powered the industrial development of our nation.” 

• McCormick called for repealing the clean energy plan, calling the bill “pork belly, corporate welfare.” 
• McCormick criticized subsidies for electric vehicles and solar panels and said he would lead a Republican effort to halt them. 
• McCormick falsely claimed that Democrats are mandating electric vehicles, a claim that has repeatedly been debunked. 

Extreme Rainfall And Flooding

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Due to climate change, extreme precipitation events are projected to increase in Pennsylvania, causing more intense flooding and landslides. While Senator Bob Casey has advocated for and secured federal funding to make safety improvements to flood-prone areas, McCormick has not said or done anything to address the issue and wants to repeal historic legislation that has sought to address the issue. 

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• Casey said he would “advocate for any possible source of federal funding” to prevent flooding in Harrisburg.  
• In 2021, Casey voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided nearly $7 million in funding for major safety improvements to the flood-prone “bathtub” Parkway in Pittsburgh. 
• In 2022, Casey helped secure over $25 million in federal funding for disaster mitigation and flood protection in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
• In 2022, Casey helped secure $1.65 million for the Blue Marsh Lake project, an integral part of the Schuylkill River Flood Control Program, helping protect the region from flood damage.
• In 2024, Casey requested President Biden to grant an appeal allowing federal funding to aid recovery efforts after severe flooding in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties. 

• McCormick said he would repeal the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 
• McCormick called for repealing the clean energy plan, which provides flood-proofing and storm resistance funding for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who live in affordable housing units.  

Clean Air

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Pennsylvania has some of the worst air quality in the U.S., with the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton metro area air ranking among the worst polluted in the nation. While Senator Bob Casey voted for legislation that provided clean school buses to ensure Pennsylvania children are breathing cleaner air and has pushed for stronger pollution standards for oil and gas, Dave McCormick wanted to make it “much easier to drill” in Pennsylvania – further polluting Pensylvanians’ air. 

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• In 2021, Casey voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already funded 120 clean school buses in several Pennsylvania school districts. 
• Casey urged the Environmental Protection Agency to keep federal methane controls for oil and gas facilities in place, voted to disapprove of the agency’s rollback of 2016 methane standards, and was thanked by the Clean Air Council for being a “longtime supporter” of stronger pollution standards for these sites. 

• McCormick called for making it “much easier to drill” in Pennsylvania, which would increase air pollution.
• McCormick said he would repeal the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Clean Water

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Senator Bob Casey voted for legislation that provided millions in funding across Pennsylvania to help communities access clean, safe drinking water, remove or replace hazardous contaminated pipes, and collect and treat wastewater. McCormick, meanwhile, wants to repeal the bill. 

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• In 2021, Casey voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,  which has provided millions in funding across Pennsylvania to help communities access clean, safe drinking water; remove or replace hazardous contaminated pipes; and collect and treat wastewater.
• Casey’s 2021 vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also helped Pennsylvania secure over $75 million in funding to fight PFAS and “forever chemicals” in the state’s drinking water. 
• Casey voted for the clean energy plan, which provided Pennsylvania with $244 million to clean up the pollution left over from decades of coal mining. 
• Casey helped secure over $207 million for Pennsylvania’s communities to access clean, safe drinking water; remove or replace hazardous contaminated pipes; and collect and treat wastewater.
• McCormick said he would repeal the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Holding Big Oil Accountable

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While Senator Bob Casey has worked to hold big oil accountable through an industry-wide investigation into price fixing and legislation that would protect consumers from price hikes, McCormick has maintained close ties to the industry, parroting their talking points as they’ve funneled over $200,000 to his campaign. 

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• In 2011, Casey cosponsored the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act, which would deny tax deductions to oil companies with over $1 billion in yearly income. 
• In 2022, Casey cosponsored legislation to protect consumers from price hikes imposed by giant oil companies and require corporations to return half of their excess profits to American families.
• In 2024, Casey called for an industry-wide investigation into big oil collusion and price fixing. 
• Casey criticized Big Oil companies profiteering from global events. 

• McCormick has taken over $200,000 from the energy/natural resource sector in his run of Senate and had close ties to the oil and gas industry, with his wife sitting on the board of Exxon. 
• McCormick’s hedge fund Bridgewater Associates had $400 billion invested in the energy sector, profiting from some of the most notorious oil and gas companies, such as Halliburton and Exxon Mobil.
• McCormick said he “couldn’t agree more” about involving the fossil fuel industry in environmental solutions. 
• McCormick supports the tax cuts for Big Oil companies that handed them a nearly $15 billion windfall. 
• McCormick responded to a constituent who brought up the high price of gas by saying his wife serves on the board of Exxon. 

Extreme Heat

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Climate change has caused Pennsylvania to see an increase in temperatures and extreme heat events putting people’s lives at risk, with heat advisories this summer outpacing the average rate. While Senator Bob Casey voted for legislation that has invested in communities to improve resiliency against heat, McCormick has not addressed the issue and wants to repeal the legislation. 

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• Casey voted for the clean energy plan, which invested $500,000 in improving the climate resiliency of Hunting Park, Philadelphia against the disproportionate health and economic impacts of heat.
• The Casey-backed clean energy plan includes a crucial $150 million investment towards extreme heat/weather monitoring, forecasting, and communication of weather information.

• McCormick said he would repeal the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. 
• McCormick called for repealing the clean energy plan