Pennsylvania governor announces new renewable energy standard, endorses statewide carbon-capping market

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) on Wednesday supported a statewide carbon trading market, but appeared skeptical of the regional markets embraced by his predecessor.

Speaking in Scranton, Shapiro supported the bill pending in the state Legislature. The bill would create a state-wide carbon-capped regulated market, the proceeds of which would be paid in rebates to electricity ratepayers and renewable energy projects in the Keystone State.

“We are not going to take direction from anyone outside of this Commonwealth,” Shapiro said in his speech. “We founded this initiative, we run it. We set our own caps, we set our own prices. No other state decides what’s right for Pennsylvania.” You won’t.”

The proposal would remove Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state carbon-capped market, and support Pennsylvania’s new program, the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act.

Shapiro’s predecessor, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, joined RGGI during his term, making Pennsylvania the first fossil fuel producing state to do so. But last November, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, along with state Senate Republicans, ruled that the state Department of Environmental Protection did not have the authority to collect revenue under the program.

Shapiro also announced new state renewable energy standards that require at least 50% of consumer electricity to come from renewable sources. This is his first update in more than 20 years to state standards that currently require only 18 percent of electricity to come from renewable sources.

“Pennsylvania is falling behind in the race to produce clean, reliable energy. And we need to be more competitive, ensure consumers pay less for electricity, grow our business, and support our employees.” We must take action to create more jobs and opportunities for the growth of ‘move on,”’ Shapiro said.

In a statement Wednesday, Pennsylvania Conservation Voters Director Molly Pazen praised the renewable energy standard but expressed concern about leaving RGGI entirely.

“RGGI has a 15-year track record of reducing carbon pollution while investing billions of dollars in expanding clean energy,” she said in a statement. “Any new plan adopted must provide at least the same benefits to the environment and our community as RGGI.”