Coal interests sue to block Pennsylvania's carbon policy

One of the coal processing companies and mines outside Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.
One of the coal processing companies and mines outside Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. Photo credit © Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Coal-related interests are suing to block the centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight climate change, a carbon-pricing policy that will impose a cost for emitting planet-warming carbon dioxide from fossil fuel-fired power plants. The lawsuit filed Monday in Commonwealth Court by owners of coal-fired power plants, owners of coal mines and labor unions say the regulation written by Wolf’s administration is unconstitutional. The regulation took effect Saturday. It made Pennsylvania the first major fossil-fuel state to adopt a carbon-pricing policy. Wolf, a Democrat, is already fighting one lawsuit intended to block the regulation and maintains the state can regulate carbon dioxide under existing air pollution laws.

Featured Image Photo Credit: © Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC