Just days after Governor Tom Wolf pushed his case for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – known as RGGI – the Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled an “informational presentation” on the controversial multi-state compact for this Thursday.
Wolf last week finally responded to two letters sent by Senator Joe Pittman, advocating for the federal government’s Coal FIRST program to develop new carbon-capture technology but failing to address Pittman’s demand that he work with the General Assembly rather than tie Pennsylvania to RGGI by executive order. Pittman and Representative Jim Struzzi assert that the effect of the governor’s action would be to force the shutdown of Indiana County’s four coal-fired power plants.
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in announcing Thursday’s event that the RGGI prohibitions against greenhouse gas emissions are a “proven way” to prevent “the worst impacts of climate change”.
DEP says the presentation will outline how participating in RGGI will “reduce climate pollution by 180 million tons of carbon dioxide over the next decade”, and will also tout the health and economic benefits Pennsylvania will gain.
The presentation will be done remotely at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon, with a media availability afterward.
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