The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to meet today to consider “final form rulemaking” for the state joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, despite efforts in state government to stop Governor Wolf from forcing Pennsylvania to join.
Senate Bill 119, which was sponsored by Senator Joe Pittman, passed on Wednesday by a veto-proof margin of 35-15, with all 28 republicans, six democrats, and the lone independent all voting in favor of the bill. The bill would prohibit the state from joining RGGI or any similar agreement without approval from the state legislature. The bill would also require the DEP to publish its RGGI legislation in the PA Bulletin and provide a public comment period.
Pittman has been a vocal opponent of RGGI, saying it would have a severe impact on the coal, gas and electricity industries in Pennsylvania, saying that many coal-fired power plants would be forced to close instead of paying hundreds of millions of dollars in extra taxes. Governor Wolf said joining the initiative would have positive environmental and economic impacts on the state.
The Independent Regulatory Review Commission asked for a delay in the decision over RGGI until January 1st of 2023 and ordered the DEP to explain how it can legally join the initiative without the approval of the General Assembly. Wolf claims he has the authority to join RGGI and wants the state to do so by January 1st of next year, the start of his final year in office.
Today’s meeting will not be held in public, but it will be live-streamed at pacast.com/live/dep.
