Pennsylvania has joined 11 northeastern states from Virginia to Maine in the cooperative cap-and-invest agreement known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and thereby stands to gain $930 million in federal green energy funding as well as an estimated economic benefit of nearly $2 billion and 30,000 jobs.
Indeed, this data from several studies including Synapse Energy Economics shows that participation in RGGI would decrease residential electricity bills while helping to cut Pa.’s carbon emissions.
A report by the Arcadia Center confirms the economic benefits enjoyed by other states resulting from their participation in RGGI.
Unfortunately, the fossil fuel industry and Republican lawmakers have hung up Pa.’s implementation of RGGI in the courts.
It’s time for Pennsylvania to realize the economic gains seen by the other northeastern states. State lawmakers need to put their constituents ahead of the fossil fuel industry and expedite Pa.’s entrance into RGGI.
Blake Wells, Morrisville
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