PA Environment Digest

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Democratic Senators, Clean Power PA Coalition Announce Bill Requiring Power Sector 90% Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions By 2040

On September 4, members of the Clean Power PA Coalition, Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Senators Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and Art Haywood (D-Montgomery) announced the introduction of the Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Transition Act that would require the power generation sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least 90 percent by 2040.

The legislation would create an Energy Transition Fund to support programs that promote clean air, save consumers money and create jobs by in communities across Pennsylvania by expanding the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“The Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Transition Act sends the right signal that we need to be shifting our energy production away from fossil fuels and toward renewable, clean energy such as solar,” said Mark Bortman, owner and founder of Exact Solar. “As we tackle climate change through this legislation, we can also create good-paying jobs right here in Pennsylvania, and I hope to be part of that effort. I believe this legislation will grow our clean energy economy and create a healthier future for our kids and grandkids.”

The bill also intends to specifically address communities disproportionately impacted by pollution.

It will ensure that low-income consumers are protected from energy rate increases and provide for a “just transition” for workers and communities that need assistance in making the shift toward cleaner renewable energy technologies.

“Energy efficiency is one of the best investments we can make in our workforce and our communities,” said Steve Luxton, Executive Director and CEO of the Energy Coordinating Agency in Philadelphia. “We train approximately 500 individuals, with a particular emphasis on the under-employed and returning citizens, each year to do energy audits, weatherization and HVAC work and repairs, and the demand continues to grow for skilled workers in this industry. This legislation could greatly expand energy efficiency programs that would create jobs, save consumers money and create healthier and safer living spaces, especially in economically vulnerable communities like those we serve here at ECA.”

There is no legal limit on carbon dioxide pollution from Pennsylvania’s power sector and despite improvements, the Commonwealth is still the third largest carbon emitter in the nation.

Pennsylvania’s electric power sector is the largest source of carbon dioxide in the Commonwealth and responsible for emitting more than 80 million tons of carbon pollution annually.

Without a limit on carbon pollution from power plants, new research from the Natural Resources Defense Council indicates that carbon emissions will increase over the next 20 years as gas plants replace nuclear and coal plants, reversing all of the progress that Pennsylvania has made to date.

The Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Transition Act is a concrete policy that would help put Pennsylvania on a path to achieving the goals of the U.S. Climate Alliance, of which Pennsylvania is now a member. It would also align with the goals set forth in Governor Wolf’s January 2019 Executive Order.

The group said the Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Transition Act will put Pennsylvania on the path to tackle climate change, making our families healthier, our environment safer, and building upon the more than 90,000 current jobs in Pennsylvania’s clean energy economy.

For more information, visit the Clean Power PA Coalition website.

(Photo: Sen. Art Haywood at podium during the announcement.)

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