NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The Lehigh Valley is going to continue to grow, and its business leaders want sustainability to be at the forefront of that expansion.
- The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce on Friday held its annual Energy and Environment Summit
- Presentations included information on sustainable infrastructure and power
- Lehigh Valley Planning Commission officials also shared details on its climate action plans, funded through a recent $1 million federal infusion
“It is of note that over 20 million new square feet of industrial [have] been proposed and approved by local governments, who have final say in the Lehigh Valley, in the last six years,” Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley said Friday.
“There [are] another 21 million square feet in the review pipeline right now. And we received a set of plans yesterday that is three and a half feet tall for over 5 million additional square feet of proposed industrial in Upper Mount Bethel Township."
“So it is not slowing down, the industrial development that is being proposed. That reinforces the need to do more across all sectors.”
"It is of note that over 20 million new square feet of industrial [have] been proposed and approved by local governments, who have final say in the Lehigh Valley, in the last six years. There [are] another 21 million square feet in the review pipeline right now."Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Doing more means investing in sustainable practices and being cognizant of any negative impacts increased populations and businesses might have on the Valley's environment, officials said Friday.
The region’s economic and industry leaders gathered at The Club at Twin Lakes for this year’s Energy and Environment Summit, led by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“We have unprecedented opportunities, even out of all our challenges,” Bradley said, who presented the commission's plans to create two separate climate action plans after receiving $1 million of federal funding.
I’m at the @GLVCC’s 2023 Energy & Environment Summit this morning pic.twitter.com/d2W6TqmTXF
— Molly Bilinski, artisanal sentence crafter (@MollyBilinski) April 28, 2023
Over the next two years, LVPC must create a Priority Climate Action Plan, focused on industrial decarbonization, as well as a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan.
The federal funding comes slightly over a month after LVPC published its greenhouse gas assessment.
The study showed the Valley’s 2019 emissions made up just shy of 4% of the commonwealth’s total gross greenhouse gas emissions.
Chamber officials gave out several awards during the summit.
Parkland Community Library was recognized for incorporating energy-saving practices and environmentally friendly equipment during a recent expansion and renovation.
Dorney Park was awarded for reducing waste across the park, including eliminating straws and plastic lids on the premises.
Air Products also received an award for innovation and impact on the local environment.
Other presentations included “Green Energy Infrastructure Best Practices,” led by James Rouland, a manager of regulatory policy at PPL, and “Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Electric Grid and Reliability,” by Skyler Marzewski Sr., a market design specialist at PJM, a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity.
