Energy is the competitive advantage that could lead Pennsylvania to broad-based economic prosperity – if the Commonwealth does not get in its own way.

 

That was the recurring message at the PA Chamber’s “Energy and Economic Opportunity” event last week. Co-hosted with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and held at Range Resources, the event brought together nearly 100 professionals from the energy industry, labor, and economic development to discuss policy changes needed to harness Pennsylvania’s energy resources for economic growth.

 

Erin McDowell, Range Resources’ Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, highlighted the company’s deep history of responsible energy development and the economic transformation it helped bring to Washington County and the surrounding region. She cited a leading technology executive’s recent comment that Artificial Intelligence is power limited. “But Pennsylvania is not energy limited,” McDowell added, underscoring the Keystone State’s potential to be a major power supplier to data centers and attract new investment.

 

The first panel, featuring representatives from Energy Transfer, Vistra, Tenaska, and Core Natural Resources, explored what the future of energy development and economic progress could look like – and the policies Harrisburg and D.C. need to advance to support it.

 

All agreed that more predictability and certainty are needed in state regulatory processes to attract investment. As Washington, D.C. is advancing pro-energy policies and regulations, states are competing against each other by laying out incentives and minimizing risks to attract investments.

 

Participants pointed to Ohio’s ongoing efforts to advance permitting and other regulatory reforms to provide companies with better line of sight for major investments as an example; while highlighting that Pennsylvania’s repeated “stops and starts” with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and other carbon tax proposals create regulatory uncertainty and deter investments.

 

The second panel featured representatives from the Pittsburgh Airport, RIDC, and Boilermakers Local 154 and focused on the economic benefits that unleashing Pennsylvania’s energy resources could deliver.

 

The Boilermaker’s Shawn Steffee said that union members currently have more work building infrastructure in two counties in Ohio than in all of Pennsylvania. He cited RGGI and other anti-growth policies are impediments holding Pennsylvania back.

 

The Pittsburgh Airport’s Vince Gastgeb highlighted how natural gas, strong leadership, and regional partnerships have transformed the airport into an innovation hub that puts $30 billion back into the regional economy. “As an airport official,” Gastgeb said, “I visit with the Department of Energy more than the Department of Transportation.”

 

Western Pennsylvania’s energy resources, proximity to higher education, and attractiveness for advanced manufacturing make it a prime candidate to land data center investments, the RIDC’s Tim White said. But, unless we unleash our energy, we will limit our opportunities.

 

“Everyone wants economic prosperity,” White said. “Growth is our path to prosperity, and energy is our biggest opportunity for growth.”

 

State Sen. Camera Bartolotta ended the event emphasizing her commitment to continuing to lead efforts in the General Assembly to unleash Pennsylvania’s energy potential.

 

“Let’s let the market do what it does,” Bartolotta said. “Let’s use our incredible resources to improve our lives, our economy, and export freedom.”

 

You can read the Washington Observer Reporter’s recap of the event here and view the PA Chamber’s video recap here.