The Department of Environmental Protection expects the program to raise $131 million-$187 million dollars annually.Ĭambria County resident Kim Anderson, with the Evangelical Environmental Network, said the state doesn’t have to choose between a strong economy and people’s health. Some Democratic lawmakers have proposed legislation to use money generated from RGGI to help ease the transition in affected communities. They also say cutting pollution will have health benefits for the state. Supporters of joining RGGI say the program is an important first step for Pennsylvania to address climate change, because it will help draw down greenhouse gas emissions that are warming Earth. “This is nothing more than an assassination of blue collar jobs across PA, which in turn will disrupt and ruin thousands of families, mine included,” said Eric Baker, who works for the coal-fired Keystone Generating Station in Armstrong County. ![]() They say it will hurt local economies that depend on coal-related jobs, as well as have ripple effects through the wider economy. Opponents say RGGI would be an unauthorized tax on the state’s energy producers. As they generate less power, cleaner sources can ramp up, lowering overall emissions. A carbon price makes dirtier sources of power less competitive selling electricity to the grid. RGGI, a cap-and-trade program among 11 northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, aims to cut carbon emissions by charging power plants for each ton of pollution they emit.
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