SBN is encouraged by the conclusion of the Shapiro Administration’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Working Group. As the Group’s consensus illustrates, a cap-and-invest program like RGGI is the most effective path forward to ensure Pennsylvania’s clean energy transition is economically advantageous and environmentally responsible. Governor Josh Shapiro has made it clear his Administration values policies that protect and expand energy jobs and take meaningful action to address climate change, while keeping prices affordable for consumers. A cap-and-invest program like RGGI is the optimal approach to advance these priorities.
The RGGI Working Group was convened by Governor Shapiro earlier this year to develop a state-level plan to address greenhouse gas emissions and evaluate the merits of Pennsylvania’s participation in RGGI. Chaired by Jackson Morris of the NRDC and Mike Dunleavy, formerly of IBEW, the group is composed of environmental stakeholders, representatives from organized labor, energy industry leaders, and consumer advocates. While the Group did not unanimously endorse Pennsylvania’s participation in RGGI, their conclusions present a step in the right direction by recognizing the immense value that cap-and-invest programs like RGGI could bring to the state.
As the fate of RGGI in Pennsylvania remains entangled in the courts, the Commonwealth continues to miss out on millions of dollars in auction proceeds, opportunities to generate thousands of jobs, and substantial progress in carbon emissions reduction. Governor Shapiro must continue working with stakeholders and industry leaders to defend RGGI and secure Pennsylvania’s clean energy future.
