Energy. It’s more than just Pennsylvania’s legacy. As the 3rd largest energy producer in the U.S., energy remains important to our state’s economy and way of life. But as the 3rd largest emitter of CO2 in the nation, and with abandoned mine lands and damaged streams, we recognize the challenges associated with energy production.
PEC’s Energy and Climate work focuses on achieving deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, advancing a clean energy economy in the state, and reducing the impacts of historic and present energy extraction.
Emerging thinking is focusing on the idea of deep decarbonization - a pathway to the end goal of eliminating carbon emissions altogether.
Emerging thinking is focusing on the idea of deep decarbonization - a pathway to the end goal of eliminating carbon emissions altogether.
Natural gas burns cleaner than coal, but fugitive emissions undermine its potential as a lower-carbon energy alternative. It's time to change that.
Shale gas has considerable economic significance, along with equal potential for irreparable damage to the natural resources of our Commonwealth.
Here’s what we already knew about methane: It’s the primary component of natural gas. It’s much more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. And a significant amount of it is escaping into the atmosphere as a result of...
Yesterday the Environmental Quality Board voted to advance a proposed rulemaking for Pennsylvania to link with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to public comment. After initial review by the state Attorney General, the public will be afforded the opportunity...
A reckoning over RGGI, outdoor recreation and COVID, bipartisan love for community solar, and clearing a path for E-bikes: Legal & Government Affairs VP John Walliser reviews the PEC policy agenda heading into what promises to be an eventful fall...
Energy production is essential to Pennsylvania’s economy. However, Pennsylvania also emits a significant amount of greenhouse gases annually, and the vast majority of these emissions are related to energy production or consumption. In 2017, production and consumption of energy accounted...
November 25, 2020 Today Governor Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 790 — a bill the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) opposed due to its weakening of environmental and public health protections for conventional oil and gas operations. Most notably, Sb790 would have:...
Senate Votes on HB 2025 – PEC Opposes this Legislation On September 9th, the Senate voted on House Bill 2025 – legislation that would impede a draft proposal for Pennsylvania to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from the electric generation...
In 2017, PEC convened a dialogue on opportunities and challenges inherent in decarbonization of our state’s electric generation sector. That event spurred a number of issue-focused examinations of different policies and technologies including carbon pricing, grid modernization, carbon capture, and...