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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 29, 2016 11:56 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Steven J. Santarsiero |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Climate Change legislation |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to strengthen our role in the fight against climate change. Pennsylvania is the third highest-ranking state in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and supplies a full one percent of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world. It is imperative for ourselves and our future generations that we take action now to make the Commonwealth – and the world – a healthier and safer place to live. The Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment Update released last August warns of hotter, longer summers, more destructive storms and more floods. Even with improvements such as the closing of several coal burning power plants, Pennsylvania is still on course to see the average temperature in the state to be 3 degrees Celsius by 2050, which is 2 degrees C higher than what climate experts and policy makers say is the threshold for dangerous impacts. It is clear more needs to be done more quickly to lessen the devastating impacts of climate change on our environment, our communities and our lives. This legislation will put into place the goal of 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and it will set a course for accomplishing that goal. This legislation would not interfere with the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), but could serve as a tool in meeting the Plan’s requirements and even surpassing them. The CPP’s goals include 30% reduction in GHG by 2030 from power plants alone. This would extend the reach to all sectors of the Commonwealth to achieve a 50% reduction in GHG by 2030. Specifically, this proposal would provide for a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions below year 2005 levels by 2030. While much of existing law specifically targets the energy sector (a large source of GHG emissions), we must also look at an all-inclusive approach to many different sectors. The legislation would amend Act 70 of 2008, the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act, and do the following: • Statutorily establish a target GHG emissions goal to be included in the state’s Climate Change Action Plan (50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030); • Establish benchmarks for GHG emissions reductions that correspond with subsequent Climate Change Action Plans issued by the department; • Provide for a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other agencies to facilitate the implementation of actions recommended by the Climate Change Advisory Committee; • Provide DEP with greater enforcement authority to meet the emissions goal including incentives for residents, businesses, farmers, transportation agencies, municipalities and others to comply; and • Increase accountability by requiring updates to proposed work plans from the past, including those that were not adopted and could be reconsidered. Climate change continues to be a major threat to humanity, and much of the world is taking serious notice. Last December, 195 nations (responsible for 97.8 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions) pledged to prevent global temperatures from rising two degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and, if possible, 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial era levels. The move is necessary to avoid catastrophic damage, according to research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB2030