The Independent Regulatory Review Commission is giving their approval for the final plans that would see Pennsylvania join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
The commission voted 3-2 along party lines yesterday despite the efforts for some lawmakers who wanted the initiative to be sent to the legislature.
Republican Senator Joe Pittman represents a portion of Butler County.
“We as a general assembly must have the final say before entering RGGI, which is exactly what every other state in RGGI did,” Pittman said. “We would be the only state in RGGI to have entered into it unilaterally.”
Supporters say RGGI would help clean up the state’s air and reduce the impact of climate change. Opponents, like Pittman, say it threatens jobs at coal-fired power plants and will increase energy prices.