The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet June 8 on House Bill 637 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) which takes away DEP’s authority to adopt carbon pollution reduction programs covering power plants and any other source.

The legislation is part of the Republican initiative to oppose DEP’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program covering power plants that is consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  Read more here.

This House Bill is companion legislation to Senate Bill 119 (Pittman-R-Indiana) that was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on April 27 and now sits in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Read more here.

Gov. Wolf vetoed identical legislation in September. Read more here.

The strategy by Republicans seems to be to do exactly the same thing again and see if they get a different result.

Four DEP advisory committees recently recommended DEP move ahead with the final Carbon Pollution Reduction regulation which is expected to go to the Environmental Quality Board for a vote in July.  Read more here.

Click Here for more background on this issue.

Other Legislation

The Committee is also scheduled to consider House Bill 668 (James-R-Venango) which would add another member to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board representing the coal refuse energy industry.

The meeting will be held in Room G-50 Irvis Building starting at 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Related Articles:

-- 4 DEP Advisory Committees Express Their Support For DEP’s Final Carbon Pollution Reduction Regulation Covering Power Plants [RGGI]

--Senate Republicans Report Out Bill Taking Away DEP Authority To Reduce Carbon Pollution From Any Source, Including Power Plants

[Posted: June 2, 2021]

6/7/2021