PA environmental organizations, Philadelphia elected officials demand Governor Shapiro and State Legislators protect Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Philadelphia, P.A. — A coalition of state legislators, local elected officials and environmental advocates came together at Philadelphia City Hall today to fight back against a state budget deal that would pull Pennsylvania out of a pollution reduction and climate stabilizing program that can lower electricity prices for working families and local businesses.

State legislators are preparing to vote on a state budget that would kill any hope of Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) with the inclusion of Senate Republican’s “RGGI Abrogation Bill” (Senate Bill 1068).

“Abandoning the fight for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative would be the most damaging environmental reversal this Commonwealth has seen in years,” said Patrick McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture. “Our elected leaders want us to think we have to choose between food on our tables and our families suffering from pollution, or between our kids’ schools and their drinking water. We know this is a false choice, and we’re calling them out. We are demanding accountability. It is time to step up, not sell out.” 

"In a city where our children have asthma at a rate more than three times the national average and a commonwealth in which a quarter of all residents struggle to pay their energy bills, we must use every tool available to us to ameliorate these struggles,” said state Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Phila). “RGGI is available to us right now as a tool to invest in our workers, our schools, our homes, and the health of our climate. Any budget that forecloses a future in which our communities have what they need to flourish, that would strip the investments that RGGI can bring and that Pennsylvanians deserve, will get my no vote."

“Pennsylvania needs RGGI --- and a lot of other things to make our air and our water cleaner, safer. Better for us,” said state Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montco). “I’m more and more aware that we’re ignoring the cumulative effect of 150 years of drilling and burning coal and oil and gas. The amount of poisons left behind, they don’t go away. And then we add more each year. RGGI is an important step, something Pennsylvania needs to do, to get out of the cycle of doing nothing. It’s right in front of us.”

RGGI is a multi-state cap and invest program that limits the amount of harmful greenhouse gas and carbon emissions from power plants. The RGGI member states have successfully reduced GHG emissions by more than 50 percent. Pennsylvania’s participation could provide more than $1 billion to invest in programs that lower electricity prices for working families by expanding clean energy like wind and solar.

“RGGI is the most powerful tool we have to lower costs for working families at a time when Pennsylvanians are struggling because of Donald Trump’s extreme cuts to core services,” said Molly Parzen, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “We cannot allow Senate Republicans to cynically hold our budget hostage. We need Governor Shapiro and legislative Democrats to stand up to billionaire oil and gas CEOs and protect a program that will deliver proven savings to Pennsylvanians who need help now.”

Pulling Pennsylvania out of RGGI would kneecap cheaper renewable energy sources at a time when Donald Trump is launching an all-out assault on clean energy — driving up electricity prices to further enrich his billionaire campaign donors.

"We will keep speaking up until Pennsylvania does the right thing by joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative,” said Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. “Philly deserves cheaper energy, green jobs, healthier air, and a more sustainable future."

Without RGGI, the state will be forced to rely even more on dirty fossil fuels — which are both more expensive and also spew harmful pollution that causes cancer, asthma and heart conditions.

“At this critical moment, when there is so much justified concern over energy costs, Governor Shapiro and House leadership must reject these demands to roll over and kill RGGI, a program which presents historic investment opportunities for Pennsylvania to lower utility bills, grow jobs and advance clean, reliable energy,” said Robert Routh, Pennsylvania Political Director on Climate and Energy for NRDC. “The governor and House leaders have long stood as a firewall to protect Pennsylvanians — now is not the time to fold.”

While pulling out of RGGI may be spun as a compromise, it would mark a remarkable capitulation at a time when Pennsylvanians are demanding their elected officials take steps to reign in skyrocketing energy prices.

“Pennsylvania legislators still have time to do the right thing. Without RGGI, the Commonwealth loses out on lower energy bills, clean energy jobs, and less toxic pollution,” said Alex Bomstein, Clean Air Council Executive Director. “The people of PA know they do not have to choose between a budget stalemate and their legal right to clean air and water. Our leaders need to step up and do their jobs without sacrificing the health of their constituents.” 

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