Senate Passes Bill Blocking Local Elected Officials From Moving To Cleaner Energy Sources To Combat Climate Change

On March 8, the Senate passed Senate Bill 143 (Yaw-R- Lycoming)--  that would block the ability of local elected officials from moving to cleaner sources of energy to address climate change by a bipartisan vote of 40 to 9.

Legislation like this was vetoed by Gov. Wolf in July of last year.  Read more here.

The legislation was introduced at the request of the natural gas industry and is part of a nationwide initiative by the American Gas Association.  Read more here. 

It would prohibit elected officials in municipalities from “Adopt[ing] a policy that restricts or prohibits, or has the effect of restricting or prohibiting, the connection or reconnection of a utility service based upon the type of source of energy to be delivered to an individual consumer within the municipality.”

The bill was introduced because a small number of cities in other states, not in Pennsylvania, were adopting ordinances requiring the electrification of new construction and prohibiting the use of natural gas and heating oil as part of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Duquesne Light [Read more here] and PennEnvironment [Read more here] have pointed out the economic and environmental benefits of electrification of new buildings in Pennsylvania, especially over the last 18 months when natural gas prices were spiking [Read more here].

The bill now goes to the House for action.

Related Articles - Local Energy:

-- Gov. Wolf Vetoes Bill Prohibiting Communities From Moving To Cleaner Energy Sources To Address Climate Change  [PaEN] 

-- Duquesne Light Releases Whitepaper On Electrification's Potential To Benefit The Environment, Economy, Local Communities

-- Ohio River Valley Institute Decarbonization Pathway Relies On Zero Emissions Resources, Energy Efficiency, Increased Electrification, Is Less Costly Than Natural Gas, Carbon Capture Options

-- PA PUC: Cost Of Natural Gas Provided By Major Utilities In PA Increased As Much As 154% Over Last Year [PaEN] 

-- PUC Alerts Consumers Utility Natural Gas Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 128%, Electric Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 34%; Both Driven By Cost Of Natural Gas On World Markets  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing On Electric Grid Reliability: Natural Gas Continues To Have Reliability Problems; Renewables Aren’t Coming Online Fast Enough; Energy Office To Be Proposed  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Proposes Independent Energy Office To Promote Development Of PA’s Diverse Energy Portfolio - Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Rep. Greg Vitali Named Majority Chair Of House Environmental Committee; House Appoints Committee Members  [PaEN]

-- Rep. Fiedler, Labor Leaders, Educational, Environmental Leaders Announce Bill To Create Grant Program To Invest In Solar Energy Facilities At Schools  [PaEN] 

-- U.S. EIA: 'Increasing Electricity Generation From Renewable Sources Contributes To Lower Power Prices' In 2023  [PaEN]

-- Bill Setting Decommissioning Rules For Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities Passes The Senate  [PaEN]

-- Senate Passes Bill Blocking Local Elected Officials From Moving To Cleaner Energy Sources To Combat Climate Change [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Proposes Independent Energy Office To Promote Development Of PA’s Diverse Energy Portfolio - Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal [PaEN] 

-- The Guardian: One Of The Worst Global Methane Leaks In 2022 Was In PA - Equitrans In Cambria County; Routine Abandonment, Non-Compliance Of Conventional Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- U.S. Senate Hearing: Energy, Environmental Impacts Of Cryptocurrency Mining In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Republicans On Senate Committee Report Out Bill Allowing General Assembly To Kill Regulations By Doing Nothing  [PaEN]

-- Norfolk Southern CEO To Appear March 20 Before PA Senate Committee To Answer Questions About Ohio/PA Train Derailment; Committee Subpoenas Documents [PaEN]

[Posted: March 8, 2023]  PA Environment Digest