Pennsylvania’s Environmental and Conservation Community Applauds Governor Wolf’s Veto of Fiscal Code
Harrisburg – The Clean Power PA Coalition, representing Pennsylvania’s environmental, public health, science and conservation communities, and including: PennFuture, Clean Air Council, Partnership for Policy Integrity, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, PennEnvironment, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Action United, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Energy Coordinating Agency and Physicians for Social Responsibility-Philadelphia, today applauded Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf for announcing that he will veto HB 1327, the Fiscal Code bill accompanying the 2015-2016 state budget. The Coalition had urged Governor Wolf to veto the legislation because it contains unconstitutional provisions which would harm Pennsylvania’s environment and the health of its citizens.
Amendments to the Fiscal Code add unnecessary hurdles to Pennsylvania’s process for developing a State Plan to implement the Clean Power Plan, the historic federal plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. Language in the amendments would also exempt “conventional” oil and gas drilling activities from compliance with updated health and safety regulations, and shift existing funding for renewable energy sources to natural gas development.