HARRISBURG, PA – The Corbett-Cawley campaign today released the following statement from Governor Tom Corbett on President Barack Obama’s proposed job-killing cap-and-trade tax that will implement a massive tax hike on the Pennsylvania coal industry. The cap-and-trade tax proposal is a cornerstone of Secretary Tom Wolf’s campaign platform.

“I am alarmed that President Obama and Tom Wolf would both support a cap-and-trade tax on our energy sector that would jeopardize over 62,000 Pennsylvania coal jobs,” stated Governor Tom Corbett. “Pennsylvania is the country’s fourth-leading coal producer, and if President Obama and Tom Wolf had their way, they would be handing out pink slips to 62,000 Pennsylvanians. Our state has come too far over the past four years to go back to these overreaching tax-and-spend policies, and Pennsylvanians have my promise that I will fight these regulations every step of the way.”

Under President Obama's proposal, which is essentially a cap and trade plan similar to the one proposed by Tom Wolf, the amount of allowed emissions from power producers is capped and they are required to reduce their emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels. If a company releases more than the allowed emissions, they could be forced to purchase costly emissions credits, install expensive upgrades, or install a host of other carbon reducing measures all on the backs of consumers. Corbett challenged Wolf to denounce this cap-and-trade tax he has supported as part of his “A Fresh Start” plan, and to instead support the Pennsylvania coal industry and the Pennsylvania families who rely on this critical industry.

“Tom Wolf has a very clear choice here – he can continue to side with President Obama’s war on coal that will put Pennsylvanians out of work, or he can side with 62,000 Pennsylvanians employed as a result of our coal industry. President Obama’s cap-and-trade tax is wrong for Pennsylvania and I urge Tom Wolf to instead stand up for Pennsylvania workers.”

According to a report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Obama’s proposed regulations will increase electricity costs in the United States by $17 billion each year through 2030 and lead to the loss of 224,200 jobs per year.

Under Governor Corbett’s leadership, Pennsylvania has become a nationwide energy leader and has lowered energy costs to their lowest levels in a decade. John Pippy, CEO of Pennsylvania Coal Alliance praised Corbett for his commitment to an all-of-the-above energy strategy:

“The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance commends Governor Corbett for recognizing that a commonsense approach to our energy needs includes an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy”, stated Pippy. “Such an approach works to the benefit of an energy-producing state such as Pennsylvania, as well as the country as a whole, where manufacturers, commercial businesses and residential consumers need affordable, reliable electricity. The fact that Pennsylvania’s coal industry supports tens of thousands of jobs in the Commonwealth across all sectors of the economy has not been lost on Governor Corbett.”

For more information on Governor Corbett’s “Energy = Jobs” agenda, please visit www.tomcorbettforgovernor.com/energy.

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