NANTICOKE — U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright was the main speaker on Thursday night at Luzerne County Community College. He talked about his support for the Biden administration’s achievements in the environment and economy. The event went well, except for a single protest in support of Palestine during Cartwright's speech.
Cartwright, along with several labor leaders and environmental advocates, spoke at the event. They all shared their projects that have been supported by Biden’s environmental agenda. Each speaker highlighted how these federal initiatives have affected their local community, including Cartwright’s 8th congressional district.
“Nanticoke and Scranton were among the first school districts in the country to benefit from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which will provide $5 billion over the next five years to replace existing school buses with zero emission and low emission models,” Cartwright said.
The Clean School Bus Program received its initial funding in 2022.
Cartwright praised the event’s host and organizers, stating that discussions like the one on Thursday evening are important for fostering new economic opportunities in his district.
“As a U.S. Rep., it is my role to ensure the conditions are right for our area to further succeed,” Cartwright said, before being interrupted by a solitary protester.
Cartwright mentioned that part of his motivation for running for office was to support economic opportunity. He believes that these economic opportunities have developed alongside his other legislative priorities, particularly renewable energy sources and union job creation.
Cartwright mentioned Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and how it can directly impact businesses and families in Northeast Pennsylvania.
“[The Inflation Reduction Act] also provides incentives for companies to establish the next generation of renewable energy manufacturing in Northeastern Pennsylvania, an area with a history rooted in coal and is now ready for the next generation of manufacturing,” Cartwright said.
According to Cartwright, the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as the transportation improvements related to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help the region gain industrial prominence nationally. Cartwright predicted that these acts will reduce commuter drive times (significantly decreasing the number of gas-guzzling cars on the road) and create union jobs for local residents.
Before concluding his speech, Cartwright expressed his support for the hemp growers and entrepreneurs in the audience, collectively referring to them as “the hemp boys.” He highlighted hemp as a crop with enormous manufacturing potential in future construction, energy, and land remediation projects.
State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler
Remarks from state Representative Elizabeth Fiedler, who represents the 184th district of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the South Philadelphia area and was raised in Bloomsburg, preceded Cartwright’s. Fiedler discussed the Solar for Schools Act, a program that she feels especially passionate about, considering both of her parents were public school teachers.
“[Solar for Schools] would establish a state grant program in Pennsylvania to assist schools and colleges in installing solar panels on their buildings and grounds. This would result in schools saving millions of dollars,” Fiedler said. Fiedler added that between 30% and 50% of the cost of Solar for Schools on the district level would be covered by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Other speakers
Other speakers at the event included Thomas Leary, the President of Luzerne County Community College, who intentionally kept his comments brief. Leary highlighted that LCCC has the largest student base in Luzerne County, with 600 graduates expected to remain in the county after graduation.
Molly Parzen, the executive director at Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, and Tony Seiwell, from the Laborers’ International Union of North America, were the main environmental and organized labor speakers at the event. Both emphasized how the efforts of the Biden administration and the officials in attendance have aided the communities they serve and beyond.
After the speeches, attendees were invited to ride an electric school bus and further discuss the potential of hemp, adding practicality to the policies described by the speakers.
