Adil Trehan, adil.trehan@sierraclub.org, 202-630-7275
Tom Schuster, tom.schuster@sierraclub.org, 814-915-4231
HARRISBURG - Today, Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission voted 3-2 to approve a regulation that will put the first ever declining limits on carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution from Pennsylvania power plants and allow the Commonwealth to link to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). This is the last major administrative action required to implement the regulation, which will take effect following publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The earliest date Pennsylvania could formally participate in RGGI is January 1, 2022.
The approval comes on a day when remnants of Hurricane Ida moved through central Pennsylvania, dumping several inches of rain in just a few hours, causing dangerous flooding along some rivers and streams, and causing some local evacuation orders. Climate scientists warn that a warming atmosphere holds more moisture and will supercharge heavy rain events.
In response to the vote, Tom Schuster, Clean Energy Program Director for the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter, issued the following statement:
“We applaud the decision of the IRRC today, and are thankful to Governor Wolf for his steadfast commitment to this critical and historic climate regulation. Participating in RGGI will not only help Pennsylvania do its part to protect the public health and safety from the worst impacts of climate change, but will also stimulate economic growth through the annual investment of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in clean energy and pollution reduction measures. The window of time for us to address this crisis is rapidly closing, and we need more leaders to rise to the challenge.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.