What the Supreme Courts EPA ruling means for emissions in Pittsburgh and the state
Ruth E. Bentz, of Kane, died Wednesday, July 6 at Sena-kean Manor in Smethport, where she had been a resident for two months. She was 94.
Born in 1928, Mrs. Bentz grew up in Hartland, Vermont. In 1942, she relocated to Corry, Pennsylvania where she graduated from Corry High School. She then studied at the Jamestown Business College with a concentration in accounting. Following graduation, she remained in Jamestown working with an insurance adjustment firm.
In the early 1950s she met William Bentz of Kane on a blind date. They were married in 1954 and remained married until his death in 1980. Upon marrying Mr. Bentz, she became stepmother to his children from a previous marriage, Judith Bentz and Robert Bentz, both deceased. She would later give birth to John Bentz, currently of Wilmington North Carolina.
For many years – first part-time and later fulltime – Mrs. Bentz served in various capacities at the family business, Bentz Furniture of Kane and St. Mary's.
In her retirement, Mrs. Bentz avidly volunteered on local boards and committees, including serving as a Deacon at the Presbyterian Church of Kane. Notably, she was the treasurer of the Kane Food Pantry for over twenty years.
She traveled as often as possible, including vacations to England, France, Iceland, Italy and the Scandinavian countries.
In addition to her son, Mrs. Bentz is survived by her grandchildren: Steven Bentz and his wife Dawn Bentz; Douglas Bentz and his husband Theodor Keilholz; and Christopher Bentz. All reside in Wilmington North Carolina. Also surviving are a nephew and several nieces.
In addition to her husband and stepchildren, she was predeceased by a brother, Lawrence Ellison, and her daughterin-law Carolyn Bentz.
A funeral service will be held Friday, July 15th at 1 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Kane, 103 Greeves Street (at the corner of Chase). Rev. Carol Sharp will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation to an organization of one's choice is appreciated.
Online condolences can be expressed at www. cummingsfh.com.
The Cummings Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of services.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 vote Thursday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn't have broad power to regulate carbon emissions at power plants across the country.
It was a major setback for President Biden's plans to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Power plants make up about 30% of America's carbon emissions, and Biden has said he wants to cut the nation's greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade and to have an emissions-free power sector by 2035.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-PA., said the Supreme Court's decision will make it harder for Biden and future presidents to tackle climate change. The decision maintains the EPA'S authority to regulate power plants on an individual basis, but stops the agency from setting broad emission goals that would then apply to all plants.
“The climate crisis is an all-hands-on-deck challenge and today the Supreme Court tied one of the EPA'S hands behind its back,” said Casey.
While the federal administration is now restricted in how it can regulate power plants, Pennsylvania still has power to do so. David Masur, director of Pennenvironment, said this Supreme Court's decision puts more pressure on state and local officials to enact climate rules that set and require carbon emission reductions.
“With climate change, we have a limited time to solve the existential crisis of our lifetime,” Masur said. “And not having all the tools in the tool box, not having nationwide rules, will hurt.”
The EPA doesn't have any broad emission reduction rules now, as former President Trump nixed former President Obama's initiatives. Biden aimed to establish new regulations, but hasn't yet.
Now, the Supreme Court decision hampers Biden, but Masur said it doesn't have an effect on
Pennsylvania or Pittsburgh-area regulations.
“The good news, under Pennsylvania's clean air laws, this decision doesn't affect our laws,” said Masur.
Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vowed to continue state efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
“Pennsylvania's authority to curb greenhouse gas emissions has not changed,” Wolf tweeted. “Nor has my commitment to making our commonwealth a leader in the fight against climate change. As long as I'm governor, Pennsylvania will address this crisis.”
The Allegheny County Health Department has authority to create regulations related to air pollution, which can have an effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Geoffrey Rabinowitz, deputy director of the health department's Bureau of Environmental Health, said the department is reviewing the Supreme Court decision and working to see how, if at all, it will affect the department as a regulatory agency.
As of 2019, Pennsylvania was the fourthlargest producer of carbon dioxide emissions and seventh-biggest producer of coal-related emissions among U.S. states, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Western Pennsylvania is home to many power plants, including some of the largest coal-fired power plants in the state. Coal power plants generate the most carbon emissions of any power generators.
Indiana County is home to two large coal power plants, the Homer City Generating Station and Conemaugh Generating station. The Keystone Generating Station is nearby in Armstrong County. Another coal power plant, the Cheswick Generating Station in Springdale, recently shut down.
When reached, the Homer City plant didn't have a comment on the ruling.
Masur said that the Supreme Court decision shouldn't have an immediate impact on coal plants in the Pittsburgh area. He said the decision also won't bring back the Cheswick plant because that plant, and most coal plants, closed down because electricity generated by coal is now less efficient than energy generated by natural gas, wind, solar and other methods.
He noted that while there is now extra focus on how state and local agencies in Pennsylvania react, the Supreme Court ruling did leave an opening for Congress to create broad regulations for the EPA to implement.
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-PA., praised the Supreme Court ruling. He said the process of regulating carbon emissions and tackling climate change belongs with elected representatives, and criticized those who are trying to achieve their goals through unelected, unaccountable branches of government.
“The Supreme Court's decision on the EPA is a win for the democratic process,” tweeted Toomey.
Masur said he thinks it's unlikely Congress will act given the necessity to get 60 votes in the Senate, including several from Republicans, to support climate change measures.
He said the most likely route for reducing carbon emissions in Pennsylvania is through the state's Department of Environmental Protection, which still has authority to regulate air pollution and emissions.
The DEP'S biggest current initiative is its attempt to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which would move Pennsylvania into a pact with several other Northeastern states to place a price on each ton of carbon released into the atmosphere during electricity generation.
According to the DEP, the initiative would reduce carbon emissions by 31% compared to 2019 levels.
RGGI still faces approval from state courts, but if approved, its future may not be set in stone. Masur said RGGI likely depends on who wins the governor's race this November.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor, has vowed to remove Pennsylvania from RGGI, saying that the move would cost Pennsylvania jobs and lead to higher energy prices.
Mastriano has also supported efforts to strip the DEP of the power to implement RGGI and sought to allow oil and gas leases on state parks and forests. In the past, Mastriano has called global warming “fake science.”
In a statement, Mastriano applauded the SCOTUS decision and said it placed a check on the overreach of the federal government. He said, if elected, he will work to support responsible development of energy projects in Pennsylvania and “unleash an unprecedented boom in our energy sector.”
“Power will be rightly returned to the people, who decide important policy matters through their elected representatives,” said Mastriano. “When I am governor of