Republican Leaders with the State House and Senate along with energy industry stakeholders highlighted some of the impacts that the reforms to Pennsylvania’s permitting process and the state’s exit from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative will have on the state’s economy.
At a news conference yesterday, officials said that the permitting process in Pennsylvania has cost the state many jobs. The new laws will reportedly cut red tape, establish clear timelines for permit reviews and create an online tracking system in real-time. Also, if things move too slowly for key permits, they will be deemed approved.
As far as RGGI goes, many Republican lawmakers were against the state entering the compact through executive order from former Governor Tom Wolf. They say that the state’s participation would result in higher electricity rates for families and businesses, the elimination of energy and manufacturing jobs, the closure of some Pennsylvania Power Plants, and the creation of serious threats to grid reliability.
In remarks yesterday in the state capitol, State Senator Joe Pittman credited the private-sector trade unions for their support.
One of those leaders was Shawn Steffee with the Boilermakers, who said it was time to move forward in the energy industry.
Both moves came from the passage of the 2025-26 state budget.
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