Clean Air Council Statement on Close of the RGGI Public Comment Period

Philadelphia, PA (January 15, 2021) Yesterday, the formal public comment period on the Environmental Quality Board’s (EQB) proposed rulemaking to cut carbon pollution from Pennsylvania power plants and participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) came to a close. Tens of thousands of people weighed in during the 69-day comment period, demonstrating strong public support for Pennsylvania’s plan to address climate pollution, create jobs, and reinvest hundreds of millions of dollars in the Commonwealth. The comment period also featured ten virtual public hearings, which allowed nearly 500 speakers from across Pennsylvania to deliver a total of 30 hours of testimony, with more than 95% of those testifying in support of the proposal. This comment period took place after over a year of already unprecedented public outreach and stakeholder engagement by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council, issued the following statement:

“Participation in RGGI represents the most significant policy step to concretely reduce Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions in my lifetime.  It was truly exciting to see the widespread and diverse support for this proposal throughout the comment period.  We’re still counting up just how many comments were submitted, but it’s already clear that environmental and community activists, business groups, faith leaders, academics, farmers, mothers, students, and scientists all weighed in with their support and recommendations to make this proposal stronger. I want to commend DEP for holding ten virtual public hearings during the comment period, which provided a safe, convenient opportunity for working Pennsylvanians to make their voices heard without needing to travel to attend in-person hearings. We appreciate DEP’s consideration of the Council’s comments and those submitted by our members, and we look forward to this proposal being strengthened and finalized over the course of this year.”