Can Biden’s climate plan spark cooperation in Pa.? Some see possible common ground in jobs, infrastructure

Climate change is one of the four major crises President-elect Joe Biden hopes to tackle after he’s sworn into office in January.

His goal is for the U.S. to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

In Pennsylvania, a high-polluting state with a history of coal and natural gas production, it’s fair to expect pushback on Biden’s plan from the Republican-controlled legislature and industry groups.

But some see a big opportunity for Pennsylvania to lead the charge into the clean energy economy that Biden is calling for.

“If we can figure out a way to do decarbonization in Pennsylvania, especially — a place that has legacy fossil fuel history — we can do it anywhere,” said Costa Samaras, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.
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