Be the voice of small business and make your voice heard with your elected officials in the Pennsylvania legislature.
On July 13, 2021, the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) approved of the proposed CO2 cap-and-trade program, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and moved the regulation forward to the Independent Regulatory Reform Commission (IRRC) for consideration on September 1, 2021. The regulation is now open to public comment until August 29, 2021.
Governor Wolf’s proposed RGGI regulation, which would bring Pennsylvania into a coalition of northeastern states that tax CO2 emissions from power plants, negatively impacts small business owners throughout the commonwealth. Despite small business owners struggles to navigate the state mandated restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) voted to advance the governor’s proposal. There is no worse time to burden small business with increases in the cost of energy.
It is expected that RGGI will increase electricity costs for all customers, including small businesses, by about 17% across the state, while having little impact on CO2 emissions.
In addition, should RGGI be permitted to go into effect, thousands of jobs will be lost at shuttered coal and natural gas-fueled power plants. Even more jobs would disappear in the communities surrounding them and the small businesses that support them, including manufacturing, transportation, raw materials, and vendor services.
To avoid paying nearly 20% more on your electricity bills, provide comment to the IRRC no later than August 29th, 2021, close of business.
