The hearing is in part a response to discussions surrounding a May 19 hearing on House Bill 501 (Otten-D-Chester), part of the Gov. Shapiro’s Lightning Energy Plan updating Pennsylvania’s renewable energy standards. Read more here.
The Appalachian Region Independent Power Producers Association, representing coal waste power plants, submitted testimony to the Committee outlining concerns about the changes proposed to the Tier II Renewable Energy Standards, which now includes waste coal,
ARIPPA said the changes would add new energy sources and reduce the value of Tier II credits by creating an oversupply. Read more here.
Waste coal power production and reclamation is also subsidized by a $55 million a year Coal Refuse Energy and Reclamation Tax Credit. Read more here.
In April of this year, nine coal waste-fired power plants received US Environmental Protection Agency approval to be exempt from federal hazardous air pollutant regulations covering mercury and other pollutants for two years under a special program established by the new federal administration. Read more here.
Several waste coal-fired power plants have also been bought for the purpose of supplying power to cryptocurrency mining operations, including Bitfarms, Ltd – Stronghold Digital Mining’s Panther Creek (Carbon County) and Scrubgrass (Venango County) facilities. Read more here.
The hearing will be held in Room G-50 of the Irvis Building in Harrisburg starting at 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.
Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net. Rep. Jack Rader, Jr. (R-Monroe) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7732 or click here to send an email.
[Posted: August 4, 2025] PA Environment Digest