Pennsylvania Lawmakers Threaten To Hinder Flexibility of Clean Power Plan

(HARRISBURG, Pa. – June 13, 2016) The Pennsylvania House is expected to vote this week on Senate Bill 1195, legislation that adds a tangle of red tape to Pennsylvania’s ability to implement the Clean Power Plan – a flexible national policy that limits climate pollution from power plants and provides states the opportunity to develop customized state plans to reduce emissions.

“For the Clean Power Plan to have maximum climate and economic benefit for Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection must retain the flexibility to develop a thoughtful plan in a timely fashion. SB 1195 needlessly delays and complicates this process, adding layers of legislative review to an already exhaustive regulatory process.

“Pennsylvania’s energy companies deserve to have the regulatory certainty to make prudent, near-term decisions about power sector investments under the Clean Power Plan, but SB 1195 jeopardizes this opportunity by creating planning delays that will hurt, rather than help, Pennsylvania.

“We strongly urge the House to reject this legislative red tape, and hope that Governor Wolf will make it clear that any law that hamstrings the ability of his Administration to carry out executive functions efficiently and thoughtfully will be vetoed. The longer the state has to wait to submit a customized plan, the less time Pennsylvania businesses have to adapt to it in a way that can best secure jobs and protect Pennsylvania’s environment.

• Andrew Williams, Senior State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Manager