Pennsylvania high court appears split over plan to force power plants to pay for carbon emissions

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Justices on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court are indicating that they’re likely to have split opinions on whether a governor can force power plant owners to pay for their planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Hanging in the balance is Pennsylvania’s effort to become the first major fossil fuel-producing state to adopt carbon pricing. On Wednesday, the state’s highest court began considering whether former Gov. Tom Wolf unconstitutionally usurped the Legislature’s authority to approve any form of taxation. Republican Justice Kevin Brobson signaled a number of objections to the plan. Meanwhile, Democratic justices closely questioned assertions by a lawyer for Republican senators that the carbon-pricing plan is an unconstitutional tax.