Gov. Wolf Joins U.S. Climate Alliance, Releases Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan Supportive of Swift and Concrete Action on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

(HARRISBURG, Pa.) Gov. Tom Wolf today released the state’s Climate Action Plan, which assesses a suite of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania. The plan, crafted for a state that has become one of the nation’s leading energy exporters, is a critical step in the fight against climate change and makes clear that emissions from the state’s power sector must be addressed in order to meet Gov. Wolf’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Signaling the gravity of his commitment to combat the worst elements of climate change, Gov. Wolf also announced he will join other leading states and governments in the pledge to meet the goals under the Paris Climate Accord by formally becoming a member of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of states committed to the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change that now represents over 50 percent of the U.S. population.

This announcement comes after Gov. Wolf signed an executive order on Jan. 8 committing Pennsylvania to greenhouse gas reductions of 26 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050 from 2005 levels. The plan underscores the need – and real opportunity – for Pennsylvania to move forward in setting a binding, declining limit on carbon emissions from the power sector that facilitates energy markets appropriately valuing lowest-cost, least-polluting energy resources. Pennsylvania is currently the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S.

“The Climate Action Plan unveiled today by Gov. Wolf presents Pennsylvania with the opportunity to take meaningful climate action while protecting Pennsylvania communities and preserving a healthy economy. The biggest area of opportunity is aggressively limiting carbon emissions from the power sector. Power sector limits coupled with direct regulation of methane emissions are the 1-2 punch in the fight against climate change that, if implemented, can put Pennsylvania on the road to success.”

• Andrew Williams, Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs