Alanna Gillis

Contributing Writer

amg7393@psu.edu

Josh Shapiro, Democrat, announced in his first campaign address on October 13th, 2021, that he will be breaking from Governor Wolf on the basis of Wolf’s proposed plans to hinder climate change. 

Wolf has worked for two years in an attempt to finalize regulations that would make Pennsylvania adopt a carbon pricing policy. This would mean that Pennsylvania would be the first major fossil fuel state to adopt such a policy. The policy would impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, a move which has been described as a “historic, proactive and progressive approach that will have significant positive environmental, public health and economic impacts.”

However, Shapiro made it known in a statement during his campaign address that he does not believe Wolf’s policy is best. Wolf’s plan would involve joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. Shapiro does not believe that this is the correct move, he fears that the policy could hurt the state’s energy industry, drive up electric prices, and would not do enough to counteract greenhouse gases. 

“We need to take real action to address climate change, protect and create energy jobs and ensure Pennsylvania has reliable, affordable and clean power for the long term,” Shapiro said in his address. “As governor, I will implement an energy strategy which passes that test, and it’s not clear to me that RGGI does.” Shapiro has made it clear that he cannot support the RGGI as it is.

Wolf still expects his plan to take effect next year. However, at the current moment, his plan faces opposition from Republicans and the GOP field running for governor in next year’s election. The regulation has broad support from many environmental advocate groups. Surprisingly, Wolf’s plan has also received support from backers of natural gas plants with higher efficiency and labor unions involved in renewable energy projects. 

Even if he becomes Pennsylvania governor next year, he may have the chance to make a legal decision on Wolf’s regulation before then. If the regulation survives voting rounds in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate, the attorney general’s office must review it. As Shapiro is currently the state’s attorney general, he would have the ability to determine its legality, and therefore, its success. 

The current attorney general made it clear that opposing Wolf’s plan would not be his only act if he were to be elected governor. “I’ve fought for people who have been wronged, citizens who have been left out, and communities that have been forgotten,” Shapiro said. “That’s the kind of leadership we need right now.” This statement came alongside promises to improve highways within the state and tackle systematic inequality. 

Shapiro is receiving strong backlash from the PAGOP. The chairman of the PAGOP has said that Shapiro “will definitely level up to Tom Wolf’s far-left agenda, which everyday Pennsylvanians flat out reject. They want someone who actually respects their freedom and represents their interests. Republican leadership will be the answer next November.”

Shapiro did not let this go unanswered. He linked the Republicans to the insurrection that occurred on January 6th, 2021, and also pointed out that they want to make it more difficult for people to vote and have access to safe abortions. In his response, he said, “If they come for your voting rights, if they come for your reproductive rights, I won’t hesitate to use that veto pen to protect you.”