Some environmental advocates say the program is outdated.

Environmental justice areas include low-income neighborhoods and communities of color that shoulder more than a typical share of climate and environmental risks that can affect people’s health.

Pennsylvania moved closer this year to joining a regional program to cut emissions from power plants, despite repeated attempts to stop it from Republicans who control the legislature.

Gov. Tom Wolf is likely to veto the measure, but that won’t mean the regulation could immediately take effect.

The Wolf administration says the regulation to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative should be published now; the Republican-led legislature says it has ‘many months’ to review the rule.

The measure in the state Senate would give the legislature more say on who serves on the Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee.

The action comes the same day the Democratic Attorney General, who is running for governor, tried to distance himself from the program.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is running to succeed fellow Democrat Tom Wolf as governor, says any climate action Pa. takes should ‘protect and create energy jobs.’

Clean Air Council, Environmental Defense Fund, Earthworks, and Clean Water Action have joined to launch WolfsMethanePromise.com.

The company has already paid more than $20 million in fines for more than 120 violations of the state’s Clean Streams Law. That same law is the basis for the criminal charges announced Tuesday.