FACT SHEETS & REPORTS
Pennsylvania and the Clean Power Plan
April 06, 2018
Pennsylvania stands on the edge of a major win for clean energy: the passage of House Bill 1446 (HB 1446), the Pennsylvania Clean Transportation Infrastructure Act. If the state General Assembly and Governor Tom Wolf enact the bill, which enjoys support from utilities, vehicle manufacturers, electric vehicle (EV) charging service providers, business associations, renewable energy companies, faith-based organizations, and environmental organizations, Pennsylvania will pave the way for a bold, modern, and clean transportation future.
July 14, 2016
This report is based on a comprehensive public health and environmental hazard analysis authored by the energy science and policy institute, PSE Healthy Energy. The study examines demographic, social, and economic characteristics of communities located near fossil fuel plants, as well as the environmental health burdens and environmental hazards these neighborhoods face. The study also models the regional public health impacts of particulate matter associated with combustion at Pennsylvania’s power plants in 2015.
July 01, 2016
This report analyzes the health, environmental, and equity dimensions of the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania.
February 18, 2016
This analysis models a path for the Commonwealth that meets the goals of the Clean Power Plan, reducing Pennsylvania’s climate pollution and creating significant new revenue to invest in the Commonwealth’s needs.
February 02, 2016
This policy brief describes a loophole known as emissions leakage which allows generators to shift pollution from existing sources to new natural gas power plants.
March 01, 2015
An overview of the Clean Power Plan as it applies to Pennsylvania.
October 15, 2014
This Pennsylvania-specific infographics shows the health benefits of carbon pollution standards for existing power plants.
Union of Concerned Scientists: The Surprising Facts About the Clean Power Plan: Most States Are Already On Track to Meet 2020 Benchmarks for Reducing Carbon Emissions
This report shows that most states are already making progress toward cutting carbon emissions from power plants.
July 15, 2015
Multiple experts make the case for carbon pollution limits in this 12 chapter report.
August 03, 2015
A survey of Pennsylvania voters showing the breakdown by question.
August 03, 2015
A state-specific factsheet compiled by the White House about what the Clean Power Plan means for Pennsylvania.
November 01, 2015
This fact sheet examines how Pennsylvania can use its existing policies and infrastructure to meet its emission standards under the Clean Power Plan while minimizing compliance costs, ensuring reliability, and harnessing economic opportunities.
November 01, 2014
This fact sheet is an overview of the impacts of the Clean Power Plan on a national scale.
Climate Change
September 01, 2008
A report by Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a group of independent scientists and economists provides an in-depth look at the potential consequences of climate change in Pennsylvania and the opportunities available today to reduce heat-trapping emissions in the state.
May 06, 2014
This fact sheet breaks down the results of the National Climate Assessment as it pertains to Pennsylvania.
February 01, 2015
This fact sheet provides an overview of how climate change will effect human health in Pennsylvania.
Renewable Energy
July 01, 2012
This report analyzes technical potential estimates for six different renewable energy technologies.
March 31, 2014
This study investigates operational, planning, and energy market effects of large-scale wind/solar integration, and makes recommendations for possible facilitation/mitigation measures.
March 01, 2015
This analysis reveals that the dangers of an overreliance on natural gas can be overcome by greatly expanding the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency in our power supply
Energy Efficiency
March 16, 2016
This fact sheet shows how saving energy reduces air and water pollution and conserves natural resources, which in turn creates a healthier living environment for people everywhere. It includes the stories of a family in Pennsylvania and a hospital in Florida.
March 16, 2016
This fact sheet shows how investing in efficiency saves money in utility bills and at the gas pump while providing families with many other benefits. It includes the stories of a couple in South Carolina and a church in Iowa.
March 18, 2016
This fact sheet looks at the results of three studies, all finding that including energy efficiency as part of state compliance plans will lower costs to utility customers.
March 18, 2016
This fact sheet shows how these studies provide further evidence that energy efficiency costs less than other sources of energy, and also that the costs of energy efficiency have been level in recent years.
November 16, 2015
For this report, Public Citizen analyzed data from the EPA and the U.S. Energy Information Administration to project the Clean Power Plan’s effect on electricity bills in Pennsylvania
May 12, 2015
This presentation provides an overview of the Clean Power Plan and potential benefits for affordable housing.
March 01, 2015
Progress has been made toward increasing the energy efficiency of Pennsylvania's multifamily housing, but opportunities for significant additional energy savings are being missed.
April 01, 2014
This study evaluates the implications of using end-use energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.
May 10, 2012
This detailed report presents results of the technical, economic, and achievable potential for electric energy efficiency programs in the service areas of Pennsylvania’s seven Electric Distribution Companies.
Environmental Justice
April 06, 1996
17 principles of environmental justice.
September 01, 2012
This article considers environmental justice in the specific context of renewable energy goals.
February 01, 2015
This fact sheet provides an overview of how the Clean Power Plan will benefit low-income, urban communities.
Clean Energy and Jobs
March 16, 2016
This fact sheet shows how smarter energy use makes businesses more competitive, provides investment opportunities, creates jobs, and promotes economic growth. It includes the stories of a factory in North Carolina (and log hauler in Michigan) and a store in Illinois.
June 01, 2009
This report explains how the economic stimulus program and new legislation can boost U.S. economic growth and employment.
January 01, 2015
This report analyzes the potential to add new clean energy jobs in Pennsylvania.
Clean Energy and Electricity Costs
Union of Concerned Scientists: Financing Clean Energy: Cost-Effective Tools for State Compliance with the Clean Power Plan (2015)
July 01, 2015
This report highlights the efforts of six state governments (Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Iowa, and Massachusetts) and one national government (Germany) to mobilize public and private capital to strengthen clean energy investment.
December 14, 2015
This report highlights the importance of seizing the opportunity provided by the Clean Power Plan to have a robust debate in Pennsylvania about solutions to carbon pollution.
November 19, 2014
NRDC re-evaluated the Clean Power Plan proposal using the same model that the EPA uses to reproduce its base case and policy cases. Simply by making the cost and performance parameters for renewable generation and energy efficiency consistent with today's technologies, NRDC has found that compliance could be achieved at a savings of $1.8 billion to $4.3 billion by 2020, or $6.4 to $9.4 billion by 2030. The $9 billion dollar difference between NRDC's assessment and the EPA's estimates indicates that the proposal could achieve significantly greater carbon reductions at a reasonable cost.