Senate Environmental Committee To Hold Virtual Hearing On DEP's Power Plant Carbon Pollution Reduction Proposal June 23

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a virtual hearing June 23 on DEP’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program for power plants.

The tentative panel of witnesses includes--

-- Patrick McDonnell, Secretary of DEP

-- Gladys Brown Dutrieuille, Chairman of the PUC

-- Stephen Bennett, PJM Interconnection

-- Rachel Gleason, Pennsylvania Coal Alliance

-- Vince Brisini, Olympus Power, LLC

-- Shawn Steffee, Boilermakers Local Lodge 154

-- Carl A. Marrara, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association

-- Rebecca Oyler, National Federation of Independent Business

-- Brianna Esteves, Ceres

-- PA Chapter Sierra Club

In November of last year, Senate and House Republicans introduced legislation that would take away DEP’s authority to adopt any carbon pollution reduction program in response to the Governor’s Executive Order.

On June 9, Republicans on the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee amended and reported out House Bill 2025 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) to take away DEP’s authority to enact any program to reduce carbon pollution emissions from power plants or other sources.  Read more here.

The companion bill-- Senate Bill 950 (Pittman-R-Indiana) which is in the Senate Environmental Committee-- has not yet moved.

Additional 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 met with the Citizens Advisory Council on November 19 to outline the process for developing the regulations needed to implement the program.

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.

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

DEP again met with the Citizens Advisory Council and the Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee April 23 on the proposal to hear a presentation on the latest modeling results.

The Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee met on May 7 to discuss the proposal and voted 9 to 9, with one abstention, to not approve a motion to recommend DEP go to the Environmental Quality Board with the proposal.  Read more here.

On May 19, the DEP Citizens Advisory Council voted 9 to 4, with one abstention, against a motion to move DEP’s proposed carbon pollution reduction program covering power plants that is compatible with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to the Environmental Quality Board for consideration.  Read more here.

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

In addition, there have been multiple hearings and information meetings in the Senate and House already on the proposal.  Click Here to watch the hearing live.

Gov. Wolf’s Executive Order directs DEP to present a proposed regulation reducing carbon pollution from power plants to the Environmental Quality Board in July.

For more information on RGGI, visit DEP’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 

The hearing will start at 10:00 a.m. The hearing will be available via Zoom.  Click Here for instructions for joining the hearing when posted.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov.   Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7305 or sending email to: senatorsantarsiero@pasenate.com. 

Related Articles:

-- Republicans Move Bill Taking Away DEP’s Authority To Enact Carbon Pollution Reduction Program For Power Plants

-- PEC, EDF Urge House Members To Oppose Bill Taking Away DEP’s Authority To Enact Any Program To Reduce Carbon Pollution Emissions

-- Organizations Urge PA Lawmakers To Create Clean Energy Jobs With Carbon Pollution Reduction Program

Related Articles - Carbon Pollution:

-- Modeling For Carbon Pollution Reduction Proposal Shows 180M Ton Reduction In CO2, 3% Increase In Electric, Coal Use Drops Either Way

-- New PA Poll: 72% Of Pennsylvania Voters Say It's Important Their Electricity Comes From Energy Not Creating Carbon Emissions

-- New Poll Finds 79% Of Pennsylvania Voters Support Limits On Carbon Pollution From Power Plants

-- U.S. EIA Expects Coal-Fired Electric Generation To Fall By 25% In 2020; 11% Increase In Renewables; Natural Gas Flat

-- Republican House Members Sign Letter Urging Governor To Halt Efforts To Join Regional Carbon Pollution Reduction Program

-- 18 Senate Republicans Ask Gov. Wolf To Withdrawn His Executive Order Asking DEP To Establish A Carbon Pollution Reduction Program For Power Plantss

-- New PEC Podcast: Fmr Gov. Tom Ridge On Conservatives Being Out Of Touch On The Environment

-- Op-Ed:My Fellow Conservatives Are Out Of Touch On The Environment - Fmr. Gov. Tom Ridge

[Posted: June 16, 2020]  PA Environment Digest