As states grapple with rising electricity prices, lawmakers struggle to strike a balance between affordable energy and responsible environmental stewardship.

Achieving both may seem impossible, but Pennsylvania proves otherwise. Over the last decade, the Keystone State has aptly demonstrated that states do not need to sacrifice energy development in favor of heavy-handed Green New Deal-style restrictions.

Pennsylvania lawmakers arrived at this conclusion on the heels of a four-month budget impasse. The months’ long stalemate ended when Gov. Josh Shapiro and the General Assembly agreed to a significant compromise: The Keystone State would formally resign from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

RGGI, commonly referred to as “Reggie,” is a multistate cap-and-trade program. Under RGGI, states cap a specific amount of carbon emissions and then auction off emissions allowances to energy producers.

Pennsylvania has had a long and complicated history with RGGI.

In 2019, Gov. Tom Wolf unilaterally entered Pennsylvania without a legislative mandate. However, since only the Pennsylvania General Assembly has the legal authority to tax, the Commonwealth Court ruled that the carbon tax was unconstitutional. Shapiro, despite stating his “real concerns” about RGGI on the campaign trail, sued to stay in the compact. However, thanks to Pennsylvania Republicans who fought tooth and nail during budget negotiations to codify a RGGI exit,........

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