Pennsylvania entered the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in 2019, under executive overreach by former Gov. Tom Wolf. However, the Commonwealth Court ruled Wolf’s executive action unconstitutional. Gov. Josh Shapiro appealed the decision, prolonging the commonwealth’s problematic relationship with RGGI. This yearslong legal limbo lasted until November 2025 when the state legislature forced the governor to drop his litigation and freed the commonwealth from threat of RGGI, as part of last year’s state budget deal.
According to new analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation, the commonwealth’s flirtation with RGGI resulted in decreased electricity generation, an exodus of energy projects, and billions of dollars in lost revenue.
“Despite Pennsylvania’s RGGI exit, Gov. Josh Shapiro continues to champion an even more extreme taxing scheme through the Lightning Plan. Elements of this plan including the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) programs, would cost Pennsylvania $157.2 billion and more than double residential electricity bills.
Read full article here