RGGI: Carbon Tax Impacts Pennsylvania Jobs

Governor Tom Wolf is working unilaterally to impose a “carbon tax” that will be paid for by Pennsylvania consumers. By joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon tax would be levied on the emissions from fossil fueled power plants, which are some of the most reliable and efficient providers of energy in the Commonwealth. This tax would lead to the closure of several of these power plants, resulting in the direct elimination of thousands of family sustaining jobs and increases in the cost of electricity for all the Commonwealth’s energy consumers.

The adverse impact that a carbon tax would have on the greater economy of Pennsylvania is significant. Aside from the thousands of jobs lost at shuttered power plants, even more would be lost in manufacturing plants, transportation logistics servicing power plants and manufacturers, producers of raw materials and manufactured products and raw materials, vendor services, and all the jobs that support these core industrial activities. Entire communities will be harmed due to the loss of the indirect and direct jobs, all as a consequence of Governor Wolf’s unilateral action.

Pennsylvania continues to witness the positive environmental impacts that clean, reliable, and affordable energy provides in a deregulated electricity market. Pennsylvania is already ahead of the carbon dioxide emission reduction goals established under Governor Wolf’s Climate Action Plan. In fact, Pennsylvania carbon dioxide emission form the electric power sector have decreased 33% since 2009. Historically, studies have proven carbon taxes have done little to effect environmental change, but they do however impose a significant cost upon consumers in the form of a new tax.

Governor Wolf is not only pursuing a carbon tax on power plants, he also has Pennsylvania slated to participate in the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) that would add more taxes on the purchase of gasoline and diesel with the intent of reducing carbon emissions from cars and trucks. Pennsylvanians already pay the second highest gas taxes in the country, but Governor Wolf obviously has his eyes on surpassing California for the first spot.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is pushing back on Governor Wolf’s unilateral policy initiatives and needs your support. A carbon tax is a significant public policy proposal and should be debated through proper legislative procedure. Tell your lawmakers to support Senate Bill 950 and House Bill 2025 requiring legislative approval before the Pennsylvania Executive Branch is allowed to unilaterally impose a carbon tax or enter any multi-state compact, such as RGGI or TCI, that would impose a significant cost on Pennsylvania consumers and businesses.