SENATE CANNOT OVERRIDE WOLF VETO OF RGGI RESOLUTION

State Senate Republicans needed 33 votes yesterday to override Governor Wolf’s veto of a resolution to disapprove the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  They got 32.  Unless a court rules against it, RGGI could become Pennsylvania state policy as early as July 1^st.

Senator Joe Pittman gave an impassioned speech on the floor of the Senate yesterday, at one point defeating an attempt by Democrat leader Jay Costa to shout him down and forcing Costa to withdraw his point of order.  Pittman said RGGI will kill Pennsylvania jobs, cause higher electricity bills, increase food insecurity, housing insecurity, energy insecurity, and defeat any increase in the minimum wage.

Pittman says RGGI’s enormous costs will kill 22,000 jobs and cause a spike of thirty percent in residential electricity bills.

Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward said after the vote that “The fight against the RGGI carbon tax will continue in court.”