PRINTER'S NO. 1678
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
325
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY YAW, PITTMAN AND ARGALL, MAY 8, 2020
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 8, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Environmental Protection to cease all
action on its "cap and invest" regulation.
WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania has
united to adjust course and prioritize mitigating the spread of
this deadly virus; and
WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, business as usual has literally
ceased, with small businesses across Pennsylvania closing their
doors and most construction activities halted; and
WHEREAS, Many Pennsylvania families are without a definable
path forward as they struggle to pay mortgages and rents and put
food on the table; and
WHEREAS, Most Pennsylvanians are willing to provide latitude
to their government to take temporary measures to address these
extraordinary challenges; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians visualize a government that
prioritizes their health and safety while also developing a plan
to begin reopening the economy in a sensible manner that
provides a definitive path to the end of the COVID-19 crisis;
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and
WHEREAS, Recently, the General Assembly passed legislation,
aligning with the standards of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency, to provide for the development of a plan to allow
certain businesses to reopen and resume operations during the
mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Governor Wolf vetoed the General Assembly's plan,
joining a multi-state council aligning himself with governors of
six other states whose interests do not prioritize Pennsylvania
residents and the strength of our economy; and
WHEREAS, During this time of crisis, the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to advance the
development of regulations to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas
Initiative (RGGI), despite concerns echoing across this
Commonwealth that this program will do irreparable harm to
Pennsylvania's economy; and
WHEREAS, The DEP's "cap and invest" regulation tracks the
RGGI's model, but crucial guidelines on the baseline carbon
budget and investment of allowance auction proceeds are
currently being considered; and
WHEREAS, Advisory committee meetings of the General Assembly
are essential in providing meaningful input to the DEP's "cap
and invest" regulation; and
WHEREAS, Critical oversight hearings by legislative
committees to ask questions and explore policy ramifications are
indispensable in the promulgation of the DEP's "cap and invest"
regulation, which not only caps carbon pollution but also
requires carbon-emitting power plants to buy pollution
allowances; and
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WHEREAS, The DEP's "cap and invest" regulation continues to
proceed through the regulatory process at a time when
policymakers should be focused on reopening and rebuilding
Pennsylvania's economy; and
WHEREAS, At a time when policymakers should be focused on
reopening and rebuilding Pennsylvania's economy, the Wolf
Administration has authorized expenditures of several hundred
thousand dollars to advance policies unrelated to the current
pandemic emergency; and
WHEREAS, Though Governor Wolf has been asked to suspend the
development of the DEP's "cap and invest" regulation, as well as
the pursuit of other major policy initiatives during this time
of crisis, the Wolf Administration is spending massive
quantities of taxpayer dollars to position Pennsylvania's
economy at the mercy of some of the identical states to which
Governor Wolf is currently relinquishing Pennsylvania's economic
sovereignty; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians deserve an Executive Branch that is
focused on their well-being in its totality, their health,
safety and prosperity; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania-elected lawmakers are hearing daily
from their constituents and constituent business owners that
mitigation measures for COVID-19 are critical; and
WHEREAS, During this time of a declared emergency,
Pennsylvanians should not have to wonder what schemes their
government is advancing while they struggle to make ends meet;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate urge the Department of
Environmental Protection to cease all action on its "cap and
invest" regulation.
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