Southwest Allegheny News

The Pennsylvania Senate has approved legislation to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) electricity tax, initially enacted through an executive order by the Wolf Administration in 2019. The announcement was made by Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37), who supported the measure.

RGGI, a multi-state compact, is said to increase electricity rates for consumers, cut energy and manufacturing jobs, and lead to the closure of Pennsylvania power plants. Since the Wolf Administration's attempt to enter Pennsylvania into RGGI five years ago, no new investments in baseload generation have been made in the state.

Last year, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s entrance into RGGI could only be achieved through legislation duly enacted by the General Assembly and not merely through rulemaking promulgated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Quality Board (EQB). This ruling has been appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court by Gov. Josh Shapiro, with that appeal still pending.

Both Gov. Tom Wolf and Gov. Josh Shapiro have faced criticism for pushing Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI despite bipartisan objections from the General Assembly.

Senate Bill 1058 aims to abrogate the CO2 Budget Trading Program regulation established by DEP and EQB. “The attempted RGGI deal was not only an overreach but also a direct attack on blue-collar energy workers – many of whom live and work in my district in Allegheny County,” Robinson stated. “I have heard from these workers time and again, and their message is clear – they want, and they need commonsense energy policies that balance economic and environmental concerns.”

This legislative move follows a series of hearings with members of the Ohio General Assembly regarding PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM) and its management of mid-Atlantic power grid reliability. PJM projects that 20% of its existing capacity will retire between now and 2030, potentially leaving insufficient power to meet consumer demands.

Thermal generation retirements like those announced for Maryland's Brandon Shores power plant, combined with RGGI threats, further compromise electric grid integrity. A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) commissioner recently indicated that such shutdowns could lead to a "potentially catastrophic" scenario; however, recent FERC orders suggest these concerns are being acknowledged.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT: Allison Dutrey