Michael Sauers
February 1, 2025
Governor Shapiro likes to make a big splash with his announcements. His recent announcement of his “Lightening Plan” regarding Pennsylvania’s energy future was no exception. Held at Pittsburg’s International Airport it had all the markings of a campaign event. Most of his pronouncements do.
The Governor professed support from industry leaders. What industry leaders is he referring to and what industries do they represent? Could they be from the industries that will immediately and directly benefit? I don’t know but it is a question that demands an answer. He also professed support from labor meaning the building and construction trades unions. These unions have a credibility problem because they rarely let any issues, like eminent domain, environmental degradation or neighborhood displacement, get in the way of jobs. I have seen that with pipeline construction (PennEast/UGI) and industrial development (New Jersey Steel) as examples. Also, he professes support from environmental advocates and groups. I find this very interesting because as a member of a statewide coalition of environmental and community grassroots groups, I have witnessed the Governor dismiss and ignore our attempts to communicate directly with him. Who are the environmental advocates/groups and who do they represent? The Natural Resources Defense Council is international unlike the above Pennsylvania grassroots advocates. Unfortunately, citizens/consumer advocates who exercise their free speech rights regarding economic development, community development and environmental issues are labeled extremists. This is an ugly side of big government!
One very interesting aspect of the above is that the press (radio, print, tv, social media), with rare exceptions, doesn’t ask any of the above questions. They go along to get along. They accept what is fed to them. This contributes to public distrust of news outlets.
Of course, Governor Shapiro’s “Lightening Plan” is festooned with corporate welfare. That is taxpayer money. A few examples include a Reliable Energy Investment Credit up to $100 million per facility, a Regional Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit of $49 million for hydrogen projects with lower thresholds to qualify and a $15 million incentive to individual taxpayers regarding sustainable aviation fuel investment ($250 million investment/create 400 jobs. This is the tip of the iceberg but it amounts to hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of dollars in tax breaks (corporate welfare).
The Governor’s plan never mentions climate change to which Pennsylvania is a major contributor. I called him out on that during a campaign stop in Bloomsburg. He feigned disbelief in his omission. He continues the “all of the above baloney” and does not call for an end to fracking. To add insult to injury, he makes his “Lightening Plan” in Allegheny County where 35 municipalities have passed ordinances opposing fracking. That is blatant bullying.
A non-starter should be making the approval process for energy projects more streamlined than it is already. All necessary reviews/impact studies must be kept in place. In fact, they should be strengthened. Independent community impact and education studies/approvals/opposition should be financed by project proposers and state government. I propose that a fund be initiated.
The Governor lined up the usual suspects for his unveiling. Most, if not all, are direct stakeholders who never have and never will ask everyday working Pennsylvanians what they think. That includes the Governor. No one has ever ask me about any of this. I’m a retired educator, businessman, community organizer and writer/editor.
Josh Shapiro is running for President.