Shapiro Appeals RGGI Decision: Sticks it to Labor, Consumers

HARRISBURG – Today, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) issued the following statement on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s decision to appeal the Commonwealth Court’s ruling that entrance by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and state Environmental Quality Board (EQB) into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) without legislative approval violates the Pennsylvania Constitution.

“Just three weeks ago the Commonwealth Court ruled the RGGI Electricity Tax violates our state Constitution. This was a tremendous victory for Pennsylvanians. Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro has made the misguided decision to carry the failed mantle of his predecessor and appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

“Gov. Shapiro’s action further places family sustaining jobs at risk and stymies the ability for any meaningful conversations on energy and environmental policy in the Pennsylvania legislature. The governor should be standing with working families who are struggling with inflationary costs and pressures from higher electric bills. Ignoring the needs of Pennsylvanians while simultaneously working to circumvent the constitution is a reckless and irresponsible approach.

“I am hopeful the Supreme Court will dispatch this matter quickly and the governor will accept the only real recommendation of his RGGI Working Group – that any type of cap and trade effort be approved through the legislature. We will not negotiate environmental and energy policy with the anvil of RGGI hanging over the heads of Pennsylvanians. The responsible enactment of energy policies which balance development of our God-given natural resources with environmental needs continues to be our focus.”

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HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania House Republican Appropriations Chairman Seth Grove (R-York) expressed outrage and disappointment with Governor Shapiro’s decision to appeal the Commonwealth Court decision to halt the tax-raising and job-killing Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).  

“As I have said since January, Governor Shapiro had the ability to rescind the $600 million RGGI energy tax, but he chose not to,” Grove said.  “This cap-and-trade RGGI tax scheme will result in job losses in Pennsylvania while at the same time raising the price of energy.  It’s a lose/lose for Pennsylvania.  Shapiro must be doing this to appease his radical leftist base or attempt to score political points nationally – because it doesn’t benefit Pennsylvanians.”  

 Grove expressed frustration with Shapiro’s nearly yearlong delay tactics on a final decision for RGGI, including a secretive “working group” which reached no conclusion on a path forward.  “Shapiro’s own working group didn’t approve RGGI, but he has now made it clear, he plans to continue Governor Wolf’s disastrous plan putting Pennsylvania’s energy exporter status in jeopardy. 

Grove offered an alternative plan for Shapiro to consider: “Keep taxes on energy producers low and keep taxes on energy consumers lower, if he can’t agree to this we know where his priorities lie.”