A Major Fossil Fuel State Is Joining RGGI, the Northeast's Carbon Market

Pennsylvania is the nation’s No. 2 natural gas producer, and No. 3 in coal.  Its governor says 'we need to get serious' about the climate crisis.

Pennsylvania, one of the nation's largest coal and natural gas producing states, is moving to join the Northeast's carbon market.  It would mark the largest expansion of the multistate initiative since its inception a decade ago and a milestone in the drive by states to counter the impact of the Trump administration's retreat from climate action.

Pennsylvania would become the largest member in terms of carbon emissions of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), now a nine-state compact to curb pollution from the electricity sector.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday that joining RGGI would be a necessary step for achieving the targets for cuts in greenhouse gas pollution he set earlier this year.

"If we want a Pennsylvania that is habitable for our children and grandchildren, where temperatures aren't in the 90s in October ... where flooding doesn't destroy homes and businesses over and over again, we need to get serious right now about addressing the climate crisis," Wolf said.

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