PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Recommends 6 Major Legislative Proposals Be Adopted As Part Of 2024 PA Climate Action Plan

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

DEP Recommends 6 Major Legislative Proposals Be Adopted As Part Of 2024 PA Climate Action Plan

On February 20, the Department of Environmental Protection presented six major legislative proposals to the Climate Change Advisory Committee it would like to see adopted to implement the 2024 PA Climate Action Plan.

The recommendations include--

-- All Sectors Cap & Invest Program: Adopt a Cap and Invest Program for all sectors of the economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, not just for power plants, establishing emission limits and a program to trade allowances;

-- 30% Renewable By 2030: Amend the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards to require 30% of electricity to come from Tier 1 renewable energy sources by 2030. Tier I resources include solar thermal electric, wind, low-impact hydropower, geothermal electric energy, biologically derived methane gas, fuel cells, biomass, electricity produced in-state from the by-products of pulping and wood manufacturing industries, and coal mine methane;

-- Other Carbon Free Electricity Sources: Add other carbon free electricity sources like Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and nuclear power to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards;

-- Hydrogen/CCUS: Legislation on Hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage to regulate, clarify rules and encourage emerging technologies;

-- Community Solar: Authorize Community Solar programs mandating electric utilities to allow for new metering; and

-- State Building Code: Amend the State Building Code adoption process to encourage faster adoption of energy code renewals.

David Althoff, Director of DEP’s Energy Programs Office, said DEP was looking for feedback from the Committee on the ways to present these recommendations and the detail needed for the proposals in the Climate Action Plan.

Althoff said he does not view it as DEP’s responsibility to draft legislation, but it is “something we want to lean into this year and we need some advice on how to make sure that we get the message across without being too refined.”

Click Here for a copy of the presentation made to the Committee, including the legislative recommendations [page 30].

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for April 24.

For available handouts and more information, visit DEP’s Climate Change Advisory Committee webpage. Contact: Lindsay Byron, at lbyron@pa.gov or (717) 772-8951. Read more here.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.