The last time I looked, Pennsylvania was supposedly a democracy. Seventy-two percent of Pennsylvanians support the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and Pennsylvania was all set to join. That’s until the fossil fuel industry and its henchmen in the Republican Legislature once again blocked the initiative by suing in Commonwealth Court.
What does this mean for Pennsylvanians? It means that our ability to reap the proven benefits from joining RGGI, rewards enjoyed by its 11 other members, are being blocked against the will of the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. These benefits include cleaner air, better health, money for clean energy, reduced carbon emissions and all the improvements to Pennsylvania’s economy that those changes would bring,
Judges in Pennsylvania are elected by the people. They should be taking into account the wishes of the state’s residents. And while our judges are at it, they need to embrace reality — the climate crisis is real and caused by the extraction and use of fossil fuels.
Pennsylvania is a major contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Joining RGGI would make a crucial difference to our collective future.
Stephanie Ulmer
Edgewood