Shapiro and Pa.’s divided Legislature can work together to reduce energy costs

Originally published in the Bucks County Courier Times

Gov. Josh Shapiro was right to emphasize in his first budget address that Pennsylvania can be a leader in energy production while still protecting our clean air and pure water. That kind of realism from Pennsylvania’s chief executive comes as a welcome relief. But although he talked in some detail about environmental policy, Shapiro stopped short of addressing the specific solutions that would increase the commonwealth’s energy capabilities and lower energy costs for consumers. 

This was a missed opportunity for the new governor to build public consensus around his first budget proposal. A new statewide poll from the Commonwealth Foundation reveals that, when it comes to energy and the environment, 59% of Pennsylvania voters see rising energy costs as the most pressing issue. The sentiment is bipartisan, with both majorities of Republican and Democratic respondents ranking energy costs as their top concern. 

And it’s not hard to see why. 

Read more in the Bucks County Courier Times