Pennsylvania Ends Participation in Regional Cap-and-Trade Pact

Pennsylvania lawmakers on Wednesday passed a budget bill that would pull the state out of a northeastern cap-and-trade pact, potentially dealing a heavy blow to climate decarbonization goals.

Pennsylvania is among the nation’s largest producers of gas, coal, overall electrical generation, and net electricity exports, making it a key target for environmentalists who support the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

But opponents of the program have long argued it kills jobs, hikes energy bills, and does little or nothing to curb emissions because neighboring states can still ...