Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday he has decided to veto a bill that would bar local cities and towns from imposing local fees, taxes or outright bans on the use of lightweight plastic shopping bags.

Wolf said he's come to his decision because "I believe that we ought to be allowing local officials to make decisions that they, in their estimation, and their constituents feel are in their best interests."

Wolf also said he believes there are potential constitutional concerns about pre-empting local officials' action on matters that touch on citizens' right to a clean environment.

The governor did not formally issue a veto Wednesday, but shared his thoughts after an unrelated bill signing.

But that action would likely doom a bill that passed the House in late April on a 102-87 vote, far short of the two-thirds majority needed for a successful override attempt.

Rep. Frank Farry, a Bucks County Republican who is the bill's prime sponsor, declined comment on Wolf's decision Wednesday, saying he wanted to review the governor's formal veto message first.

Supporters of the state legislation have said they are motivated to protect a handful of plants that, combined, account for about 1,500 manufacturing jobs across Pennsylvania.

The bill on local bans has been offered in the last two legislative sessions as a precaution against discussion - mostly in Philadelphia - about taking actions to control use of the bags that contribute to major litter problems there.

In 2015, Philly Councilman Mark Squilla did propose a five-cent per bag fee for all "single-use bags" - paper or plastic - provided by retailers to customers at the point of sale.

Squilla's bill died without action at the end of the year. There are no other plastic bag fees or bans in place in Pennsylvania at present.

But with bans in place in places like Chicago, Austin, Texas and Cambridge, Mass., and fees in places as close as Montgomery County, Md., manufacturers and their customers have begun counter-attacking.

The states of Arizona, Idaho, Michigan and Missouri all enacted bans on local bag ordinances, much like Farry's proposal, in their 2015-16 legislative sessions.

Given Wolf's comments Wednesday, it appears Pennsylvania will not be following suit anytime soon.