An advisory panel that reviews the impact of state environmental policies on Pennsylvania’s small businesses opposed the Governor’s plan for Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) on Wednesday (July 22), according to Senator Joe Pittman and Representative Jim Struzzi.
The Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee (SBCAC) voted 4-3 in opposition to Pennsylvania joining RGGI. The SBCAC was established under the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act to comment on Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) policies, guidelines, and regulations that may impact small businesses in Pennsylvania.
The Governor announced last October his intention to have Pennsylvania join RGGI. Pennsylvania would be the only major energy producing state in the compact and the resulting carbon tax on employers engaged in electric generation would devastate that industry and cost thousands of jobs.
Prior to the SBCAC vote on RGGI, the Governor’s proposal was rejected by the DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council and its Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee.
“This the third time that a DEP advisory panel has rejected the Governor’s proposal — and in this case it’s a committee that includes four Gubernatorial appointees,” said Senator Pittman. “There is no support from any committee or advisory panel for this proposal. That is extremely indicative of the general assessment of RGGI and the carbon tax outside the cloistered view of the Governor, his cabinet, and the most extremist environmentalist groups.”
“I’m very happy and thankful to see the SBCAC’s decision to help protect Pennsylvania’s energy jobs. This industry is vital to Pennsylvania’s economy and the livelihoods of thousands of Pennsylvanians,” said Representative Struzzi. “Given that Pennsylvania is already ahead of the carbon dioxide reduction goals established under the governor’s Climate Action Plan, why would we want to jeopardize thousands of Pennsylvania jobs and trigger significantly higher electricity rate increases when the existing competitive market has already achieved these gains?”
Representative Struzzi is the prime sponsor of House Bill 2025, a measure approved by the House of Representatives on July 8 by a bipartisan vote of 130-71. The bill, which is now before Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee for consideration, would require the Department of Environmental Protection to provide a public comment period and receive approval from the General Assembly before entering RGGI.
Senator Joe Pittman continues to call on the Governor to visit the area and meet with the people of Armstrong and Indiana counties who would be impacted by his proposed carbon tax.
“While your Administration claims to be concerned about ‘affected communities,’ which will be adversely impacted by your efforts to impose a carbon tax on energy producers, I am unaware of any engagement that has occurred with Armstrong and Indiana counties on what will be done to replace the jobs lost, rehabilitate the sites of shuttered power plants, and replace the lost revenue to local governme
An advisory panel that reviews the impact of state environmental policies on Pennsylvania’s small businesses opposed the Governor’s plan for Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) on Wednesday (July 22), according to Senator Joe Pittman and Representative Jim Struzzi.
The Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee (SBCAC) voted 4-3 in opposition to Pennsylvania joining RGGI. The SBCAC was established under the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act to comment on Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) policies, guidelines, and regulations that may impact small businesses in Pennsylvania.
The Governor announced last October his intention to have Pennsylvania join RGGI. Pennsylvania would be the only major energy producing state in the compact and the resulting carbon tax on employers engaged in electric generation would devastate that industry and cost thousands of jobs.
Prior to the SBCAC vote on RGGI, the Governor’s proposal was rejected by the DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council and its Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee.
“This the third time that a DEP advisory panel has rejected the Governor’s proposal — and in this case it’s a committee that includes four Gubernatorial appointees,” said Senator Pittman. “There is no support from any committee or advisory panel for this proposal. That is extremely indicative of the general assessment of RGGI and the carbon tax outside the cloistered view of the Governor, his cabinet, and the most extremist environmentalist groups.”
“I’m very happy and thankful to see the SBCAC’s decision to help protect Pennsylvania’s energy jobs. This industry is vital to Pennsylvania’s economy and the livelihoods of thousands of Pennsylvanians,” said Representative Struzzi. “Given that Pennsylvania is already ahead of the carbon dioxide reduction goals established under the governor’s Climate Action Plan, why would we want to jeopardize thousands of Pennsylvania jobs and trigger significantly higher electricity rate increases when the existing competitive market has already achieved these gains?”
Representative Struzzi is the prime sponsor of House Bill 2025, a measure approved by the House of Representatives on July 8 by a bipartisan vote of 130-71. The bill, which is now before Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee for consideration, would require the Department of Environmental Protection to provide a public comment period and receive approval from the General Assembly before entering RGGI.
Senator Joe Pittman continues to call on the Governor to visit the area and meet with the people of Armstrong and Indiana counties who would be impacted by his proposed carbon tax.
“While your Administration claims to be concerned about ‘affected communities,’ which will be adversely impacted by your efforts to impose a carbon tax on energy producers, I am unaware of any engagement that has occurred with Armstrong and Indiana counties on what will be done to replace the jobs lost, rehabilitate the sites of shuttered power plants, and replace the lost revenue to local governments – especially school districts,” Senator Pittman wrote in a July 14 letter to the Governor.
In a February 14 letter, Senator Pittman urged the Governor to secure funding from the $64 million federal Carbon Capture Technology (CCT) initiative to promote the development of innovative cleaner coal technologies in Pennsylvania.
Contact: Carlton Logue clogue@pasen.gov