On another energy/environment front, the Governor signed SB 1195, which establishes a role for the General Assembly in reviewing the states proposal for compliance with the Clean Power Plan relating to greenhouse gas emissions, now Act 57. The Senate and House had moved forward with legislation that would insert the General Assembly into the review process for the state’s plan for compliance with requirements of EPA for the Clean Power Plan (CPP). As part of the negotiations, an agreement was reached to
After several weeks of discussion, the General Assembly and Wolf Administration agreed on actions over the state’s proposed federal CPP response. Under the bill, the Administration would submit state compliance plans to the General Assembly 100 days before being submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency. Both chambers are required to vote on a transmitted plan within 20 legislative days after being placed on the calendar. The bill mandates the Administration wait until after the Supreme Court stay on the CPP expires.
The Wolf administration, while still working on the state plan, has now said it will not submit a plan until the court challenge is resolved. The rules, as well as the Legislature’s role in their potential submission to the federal government, had been a bone of contention between all four caucuses and the administration during the past year.