Pennsylvania Bid to Join Climate Pact Now Faces Tougher Odds

A Pennsylvania judge’s ruling means supporters of outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf’s planned entry into an 11-state pact to address greenhouse gas emissions now face an uphill battle, legal analysts say.

Judge Michael H. Wojcik of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court granted a preliminary injunction on July 8 to a coalition including state lawmakers, energy representatives, and labor groups. The injunction temporarily stops the state from implementing a final rulemaking that puts Pennsylvania in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection and Environmental Quality Board on Monday appealed the order to the state Supreme Court.

The same judge will next ...