(PA) Bill reshapes future of renewable energy

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Essentially, the bill requires that within 15 years, 18 percent of the electricity sold in Pennsylvania should come from renewable and advanced energy sources. It directs the state’s Public Utility Commission to establish a renewable energy credits trading program as a means of meeting clean energy requirements.

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There are two categories of energy sources required by the bill which are to be used by all power companies selling electricity in Pennsylvania: Tier 1 energy sources, which include wind power, solar photovoltaic energy, low-impact hydropower, geothermal energy and biologically derived methane gas, among others; and Tier 2 energy sources, which include energy derived from new energy efficiency measures, coal waste or electricity generated by utilizing by-products of the pulping process and wood manufacturing process, among others.

Energy companies would have to obtain 8 percent of their power from Tier 1 resources and 10 percent of their power from Tier 2 resources, according to a summary of the bill provided by Ross’ office.

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But the coal issue is a trade off of air pollution over water pollution, which Ross is willing to make and which he said he has no problem defending.

"We have literally millions and millions of tons (of coal) in piles. The piles are contributing to polluting the streams in the form of acid runoff," he said. "There are people who are taking these piles, removing them and burning them as cleanly as possible. There’s a huge improvement to the streams and I think that’s worthwhile."

Environmentalists "would have liked an even cleaner bill, but I don’t think it would have passed," said Ross.