From the Clean Air Council (http://www.cleanair.org/):
Pennsylvania is poised to take a historic step to reduce carbon pollution from fossil power plants by participating in a market-based program called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
For over a decade, in 11 neighboring states, RGGI has cut climate pollution nearly in half while raising over $4 billion to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency programs. It is high time for Pennsylvania to share in RGGI’s success: cutting up to 227 million tons of climate-disrupting carbon pollution; stimulating investments in our communities and businesses; creating over 27,000 new local jobs; lowering residential electric bills; and boosting the state’s economy by nearly $2 billion this decade alone.
However, the state legislature has fought tooth-and-nail for the past two years to block RGGI and, now that they’re back from summer recess, they are pulling out all the stops. The majority already introduced two bills this session to strip the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) of its legal authority to take any action on greenhouse gas pollution and, just this month, two legislative committees adopted resolutions specifically to block RGGI from taking effect.
There are no other regulatory hurdles to clear. This is the last gasp for the legislature’s obstruction. Please go to https://cleanaircouncil.salsalabs.org/rggicall/index.html to tell your state legislators to vote NO on HB 637, SB 119, HCRRR 1, and SCRRR 1.
In addition to funding important renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, RGGI participation would create funds to invest in bill assistance for low-income ratepayers, support for environmental justice communities, and support for workers and communities transitioning to a post-coal world.
SB 119 and HB 637 would strip DEP of its existing legal authority to do anything on climate pollution, and the two specific anti-RGGI resolutions (HCRRR 1 and SCRRR 1) would indefinitely block the state from participating in RGGI.
Please tell your state legislators to support Pennsylvania’s participation in RGGI.
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