The battle over whether Pennsylvania will join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has intensified as the plan cleared a pivotal hurdle on Wednesday, gaining approval by the state Independent Regulatory Review Commission. “Climate change is one of the most critical issues we face, and I have made it a priority to address ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement responding to the approval. “By participating in RGGI, Pennsylvania is taking a historic, proactive and progressive approach that will have significant positive environmental, public health and economic impacts” But the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted Thursday to pass a “concurrent resolution” temporarily blocking Wolf’s plan to join RGGI, from becoming an approved regulation. The commission’s Wednesday vote was split along party lines, with three Democratic appointees voting for joining RGGI—George Bedwick, Murray Ufberg, and Dennis Watson; and two Republican appointees voting against—John …