Mar. 15, 2024
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana), longtime supporter of Pennsylvania’s energy independence and advocate for energy-related jobs statewide, issued the following statement in reaction to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal for “a new era of energy leadership in the Commonwealth.”
“I appreciate the need for better energy policy in Pennsylvania, one which supports the industry while growing jobs and our economy; however, any cap-and-trade program is still an additional tax on energy production, manufacturing and business and industry in general.
“If the governor wants to give a rebate on electricity, simply get rid of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and any notion of ‘cap-and-trade.’ Cleaner energy production can be achieved by investing in existing energy producers and further helping them meet environmental standards, beyond what they already have in place. Similar legislative attempts I’ve made in the past (see amendments to
House Bill 637 in the 2022-23 session) were defeated.
“I do appreciate his support for diverse energy sources, but we can't lose sight of the vast abundant natural resources our state has that could solve many of our challenges and lower energy costs for business and families. We must also employ our existing reliable energy sources that are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on every day of the year.
“First and foremost, my colleagues and I need to see more details. As we learned during the budget hearings, most of Gov. Shapiro’s proposals are a framework with little to no detailed explanation of the necessary legislation to accomplish them. I hope this is the beginning of a two-way conversation that should have occurred years ago, and not the one-sided edict method of doing ‘business’ as was employed during Shapiro’s predecessor’s administration.”
Struzzi is co-author of
House Bill 195, legislation that would eliminate the RGGI regulation and prevent future similar proposals from proceeding without legislative approval, which would protect Pennsylvania energy consumers and save the Commonwealth significant funds in ongoing litigation fees. The bill has yet to move out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
Questions about this or any legislative issue should be directed to Struzzi’s Indiana district office at 724-465-0220.