DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Air Quality Advisory Committee Hold Online Meeting April 2 On RGGI Carbon Pollution Reduction Proposal

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council and the Air Quality Advisory Committee are scheduled at this time to hold an online information meeting April 2 starting at 1:00 p.m. on the proposed initiative to reduce carbon pollution from power plants (RGGI).

DEP is expected to provide a presentation on the modeling results associated with the proposal to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

The meeting is open to the public. Anyone wishing to join the meeting can Click Here to register.

Background

Gov. Wolf signed an Executive Order in October directing DEP to join the interstate Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative through a regulation adopted by the Environmental Quality Board.

RGGI is a market-based cap-and-invest by northeast states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

DEP released a draft regulation establishing a proposed cap-and-invest program on January 30, However, it did not include key provisions related to the overall cap on carbon emissions and how much the cap would be reduced each year.  The April 2 meeting should fill those gaps.

DEP first reviewed it with the Air Quality Advisory Committee on February 13, DEP’s Citizens Advisory Committee on February 18 and the Climate Change Advisory Committee on February 25.

DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell also said the agency has been holding meetings with individual stakeholders on the proposal.

In addition, there have been hearings and information meetings in the Senate and House  on the proposal, with two more coming up April 8 and 14 in the Senate.  Click Here for more background on Senate and House reviews.

For more information on RGGI, visit DEP’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative webpage.  Click Here for a copy of DEP’s draft RGGI regulation.

More details will be available on DEP’s Air Quality Advisory Committee webpage.  Questions should be directed to Kirit Dalai by calling 717-772-3436 or sending email to: kdalal@pa.gov. 

(Photo: Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant closed as result of competition with natural gas.)
[Posted: March 20, 2020]  PA Environment Digest