Pennsylvania Avoids a Disastrous Green New Deal Policy—For Now

Originally published at Newsweek

Pennsylvanians are, for the moment, protected from high costs of a “Green New Deal” initiative being pushed by Governor Tom Wolf via executive order. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court issued an injunction against further implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

RGGI would cause Pennsylvania to join other mid-Atlantic and New England states to “to cap and reduce power sector CO2 emissions.” These states strictly limit carbon emissions from electricity producers by forcing them to pay for “credits.” This is a tax in everything but name. By Pennsylvania state law, only the legislature—not the governor—can pass taxes. Joining the initiative via executive order is flatly unconstitutional in our state.

The governor is no stranger to executive overreach. Last year voters agreed to amend the state constitution to rein in Wolf’s emergency powers related to COVID. Here he goes again.

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