Delay emissions proposal

Gov. Tom Wolf should delay his plan to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative while the state is still dealing with the economic issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business shutdowns.

The RGGI is a regional 10-state program designed to cap and decrease carbon dioxide emissions from power-generating facilities. Under the initiative, coal-, gas- and oil-fired power plants would pay a fee for their carbon emissions, with much of the revenue targeted at efforts to improve air quality and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s a signature piece of Mr. Wolf’s plan to improve air quality and address climate change, but it’s the wrong time to enact such a plan while the state is reeling from lost tax revenues and soaring unemployment.

Two state Department of Environmental Protection advisory groups that have reviewed the RGGI plan — the Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee and the Citizens Advisory Council — have failed to endorse it. The AQTAC vote on the proposal ended in a 9-9 vote with one abstention, while the Citizens Advisory Council rejected the plan by a 9-3 vote with one abstention.

Modeling performed by the DEP predicts that the state’s plan would reduce greenhouse emissions over the next decade, but the majority of the state’s remaining coal-fired power plants would be priced out of the market if forced to buy credits for each ton of carbon emitted.

The plan also indirectly sets up a battle between operators of coal-fired plants and nuclear plants. Energy Harbor Corp., which owns the Beaver Valley nuclear power station, had planned to shutter the facility but has reversed its decision based on the state joining the RGGI. Nuclear plants do not emit carbon dioxide, so Energy Harbor said the move will make nuclear plants more cost-competitive with plants using low-cost natural gas. If the state does not join RGGI, Energy Harbor could revert back to closing the facility.

Mr. Wolf still plans on having DEP bring the draft regulation to the Environmental Quality Board for a vote at its July meeting. The vote, which is binding, will determine whether DEP can move forward and put the draft out for public comment.

Though the governor’s plan to improve long-term air quality in the state is laudable, there are much more immediate matters that need attention: reopening businesses in a safe manner; continuing efforts to control the spread of COVID-19; and lessening the financial impact of the pandemic on the state’s municipalities, school districts, colleges and universities.

The RGGI plan should be tabled and revisited at a later date.