In November, the Clean Air Council petitioned PA’s Environmental Quality Board, asserting that the Governor has both the constitutional authority and legal obligation to reduce the state’s carbon emissions. More than 60 organizations including 18 Friends’ organizations, are co-petitioners, and others may join before the end of January.
On January 8, 2019, Governor Wolf issued an Executive Order establishing carbon reduction goals for Pennsylvania for 2025 and 2050 that are consistent with the petition we’ve filed. The Order also reconvenes the Green Government Council to pursue those goals.
However, the Order only provides specifics for state agencies and facilities. New regulations like those proposed in the petition to reduce emissions economy wide will be essential in order to achieve the Order’s carbon reduction goals.
In December, the Governor announced PA was joining the regional Transportation Climate Initiative that will develop a plan within a year to support electric vehicle infrastructure and other clean transportation methods.
Pennsylvania is the nation’s third largest carbon emitter. The Governor’s Executive Order is a welcome step, but is not sufficient to reach the carbon reduction goals we need to reduce the impacts of climate change. Governor Wolf can put Pa back into a leadership position in the rapidly growing clean energy economy by supporting a comprehensive policy framework: Carbon Cap and Trade.
Please join us as we call on PA to adopt an economy wide carbon cap and trade program that will place a cap on carbon, require polluters to purchase allowances, reduce the cap by 3% per year, and retire those allowances. This cap and trade program provides a policy framework for the two important initiatives the Governor has recently taken and is entirely consistent with both of them. Cap and Trade will assist the GreenGov Council to reach the ambitious goals he has set.
This could eliminate the state’s structural deficit, adequately fund the public schools, and reinvest in clean energy at a scale never seen, thus creating jobs and spurring sustainable economic development statewide.
Dramatic emissions reductions are absolutely necessary for the future prospects of people everywhere, including our own offspring. Governor Wolf needs to hear, early and often, that he has our full support for reducing the state’s carbon emissions, both for the steps he’s already taken, and for those that are still required by law and our state constitution.
Please contact the Governor by e-mail at: https://www.governor.pa.gov/contact/#OnlineForm, or by calling one of his offices at 717/787-2500 or 215/560-2640.
A very simple message is all that’s needed: “Thank you Governor Wolf for taking steps to fight climate change. We must do more to meet this challenge. We need to adopt a Carbon Cap and Trade program to help Pennsylvania reduce our carbon emissions now.”
For more information and to join as a co-petitioner, contact Liz Robinson, lizhrob2@gmail.com.
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