Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Gov. Shapiro Unveils Cap-And-Invest PA Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative To Reduce Carbon Pollution From Power Plants; Update Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards To Diversify Electric Generation, Improve Reliability  [PaEN] 

-- Shapiro Marks Plugging 200th Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well: These Companies Will Do Anything To Avoid Paying For Plugging; It’s Not Okay Some In The Legislature Are Shielding Them; Text Well Locations  [PaEN]

-- Governor’s Energy/Climate Proposal

-- Gov. Shapiro Unveils Cap-And-Invest PA Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative To Reduce Carbon Pollution From Power Plants; Update Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards To Diversify Electric Generation, Improve Reliability  [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro On Republican Reaction To His Energy Plan: They’ve Done Nothing And Power ‘Plants Have Closed On Their Watch;’ They’re ‘Used To Doing Nothing;’ ‘Doing Nothing Is Not Acceptable’ [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Joins Industry, Labor, Environmental, Consumer Leaders To Highlight New Energy Plan To Create Jobs, Lower Costs For Pennsylvanians  [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro: PA Labor & Industry Leaders Praise Energy/Climate Plan 

-- Gov. Shapiro: PA Environmental Leaders Praise Energy/Climate Plan 

-- Senate Republicans Reject Gov. Shapiro’s Offer To Work On Legislation To Make The Electric Grid More Reliable, Diversify Our Energy Sources, Lower Energy Costs For Ratepayers, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions  [PaEN] 

-- Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Is Dependent On One Fuel To Generate 59% Of Our Electricity; Market Moving To Renewables + Storage  [PaEN] 

-- US EIA Report Shows How Winter Storms Have Reduced US Natural Gas Production, But Disruptions Can Happen Any Time Of The Year  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Gov. Shapiro Calls For PA Carbon Cap-And-Trade Market, Plus Higher Clean Energy Requirements

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Gov. Shapiro Proposes State Climate Program To Replace RGGI, Asks For New Renewable Energy Goals

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: PA Governor Wants To Cut Power Plant Emissions With His Own Cap-And-Invest Program

-- AP: PA Gov. Shapiro Backs New Plan To Make Power Plants Pay For Greenhouse Gases 

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Shapiro Tees Up Independent Carbon Tax Plan For Pennsylvania

-- The Center Square: Building Trades Say Governor’s Carbon Tax Plan ‘Sets The Thanksgiving Table, Now It’s Time To Sit Down And Eat’

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Governor’s Carbon Tax Plan Called A ‘Disastrous’ Gift To Ohio, West Virginia By Republicans, Others

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Unveils Alternative To RGGI That Would Keep Proceeds And Cap In State

-- PennLive: Shapiro Pitches Sweeping Two-Piece Energy, Climate Change Plan

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Pitches Carbon Cap-And-Invest Plant To Capitalize On PA’s Energy Exports

-- Utility Dive: US Electricity Prices Outpace Inflation; Consumers Not Seeing Rate Decreases Due To Gas Price Drops; Increased LNG Gas Exports Could Send Prices Higher Again  

-- Budget 2024

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: PA Is Flush With Surplus Cash, But Still Faces Looming Budget Problem

-- Spotlight PA: PA Local Governments Want Long-Term State Money For Cybersecurity As Federal Grant Fills The Gap

-- Beaver County Times: Main Street, Not Mafia: How Gambling In PA Entered A New Era, And What’s Next

-- PA House/Senate

-- ABC27: Opposites Attract: 2 PA Lawmakers Share A Bond Despite Being On Other Sides

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA House Lawmaker Unopposed After Ballot Challenges And Party Pressure Not To Run

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Republican Staffer Fired After Reporting Mold In Rep. Davanzo’s Westmoreland County District Office Can Pursue Whistleblower Claims Court Rules

-- US Senate/House

-- Beaver County Times: The Dynamics Of The Coming Tug-Of-War With Republican David McCormick And Democrat Bob Casey Over PA’s US Senate Seat

-- Post-Gazette: Battle For White House Looms Large Over PA US Senate Race

-- Post-Gazette: New Federal Spending Law Includes $105 Million For Western PA; $3.66 Million To Connect Residents To Public Water Due To Concerns Over Contamination By Norfolk Southern Derailment

-- 2024 Elections

-- PennLive: In PA, Geography And Unfounded Election Fraud Beliefs Can Decide Ballot Dropbox Access

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Election Workers In PA Deserve Respect, Not Threats

-- Spotlight PA: Philadelphia Voting Commission Shakeup Creates Bad Optics During Big Election Year

-- New Bipartisan Coalition Focuses On Safety, Security Of PA Election 

-- LancasterOnline: Rep. Cutler Backs Ex-President, Says He’s Worried About 2024 Election integrity

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: What PA’s Constitutional Laboratory And Its Trailblazing Experiments Portend For 2024 - By Jerry Dickinson, Pitt Law Professor

-- Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To Primary Candidates For Auditor General

-- Election Reforms

-- Erie Times: Politically Homeless: What PA’s Disenfranchised [Independents] Want From 2024 Candidates

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Executive Sued Over Plan To Add Ballot Drop-Off Locations

-- PennLive: In PA, Geography And Unfounded Election Fraud Beliefs Can Decide Ballot Dropbox Access

-- National Politics

-- The Center Square: Ex-President’s Campaign Outraised Biden In Pennsylvania

-- Post-Gazette: Battle For White House Looms Large Over PA US Senate Race

-- AP: Ex-President Warns Of ‘Bloodbath’ If He Loses In November 

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- York Daily Record: New Fulton County Commissioners Still Chase Ex-President’s 2020 Election Grievances 

-- AP: Federal Prosecutors: A ‘Network’ Of Supporters Helped Fugitives Avoid Capture After Assault On US Capitol

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- PennLive - John Baer: What We Worry About Depends Largely On Whether We’re Republican Or Democrat

-- TribLive Editorial: Does Political Party Mean What It Used To In PA?

-- Spotlight PA: Secrecy Still Pervades PA State Government

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Secrecy Still Pervades PA State Government

-- TribLive Editorial: Who Do We Thank For Freedom Of Information?

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Lawmakers Want To Ban Public Agencies From Hiring Lobbyists [Triggered By Game Commission Hiring Fmr Republican Senator]

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.55  National- $3.43   Ohio- $3.24

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Down 2 From Last Week To 22

-- Reuters: EQT To Buy Equitrans Midstream In Bid To Boost Natural Gas Margins, Get Global Prices For Its Gas

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh-based CNX Resources Latest Local Gas Driller To Cut Back On Production [To Raise Gas Prices] 

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Jump As EQT Slashes Output To Fight Glut 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Producers Reduce Output In 2024 [To Raise Prices] While Demand Rises To Record High, US EIA Says 

-- Bloomberg: US Economy Scores Win From Collapse Of US Natural Gas Prices; Stark Contrast From 2 Years Ago When Gas Prices Skyrocketed To 14-Year High  [Gas Producers Trying To Raise Prices By Pushing Exports, Cutting Production] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Gas Driller To Acquire Equitrans Midstream [Mountain Valley Pipeline; Cambria County 1.1 Billion Cubic Foot Gas Leak; Abandoned Wells; PA Criminal Charges]

-- EQT Gas Company Announcement Of Equitrans Midstream

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Why EQT Gas Is Acquiring Equitrans Midstream Corp

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Could Be Sold After Equitrans Acquisition

-- The Allegheny Front: Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Nears Completion, Some Residents Say Their Concerns Are Being Ignored

-- Public News Service: PA Advocates Push For Swift Update Of Federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Rules  

-- Reuters: Owner Of Louisiana LNG Gas Export Facility Under Construction Asks FERC To Keep Documents Confidential Related To Startup And Repairs

-- Reuters: Chinese Company Wants Say In Louisiana LNG Gas Export Facility Permit Extension

Train Derailments

-- Post-Gazette: New Federal Spending Law Includes $105 Million For Western PA; $3.66 Million To Connect Residents To Public Water Due To Concerns Over Contamination By Norfolk Southern Derailment

-- Beaver County Times: Federal Aid To Connect Darlington Twp. To Beaver Falls Water Supply

-- Post-Gazette: New Push For Stalled Rail Safety Bill In Congress Comes After Norfolk Southern Derailment Anniversary; Republicans Object To Regulations To Improve Safety 

Gas Explosions

-- TribLive: ‘Complete Devastation:’ Crescent Fire Chief Confirms 2 Dead In Another Allegheny House Explosion; Gas Well, Propane On The Property  

-- TribLive: Friends, Neighbors Remember Victims Of Crescent Twp. House Explosion In Allegheny County 

-- TribLive: Crescent House Explosion Marks 3rd In Western PA Since Summer

-- WTAE: 3 Allegheny County Home Explosion Investigations Launched In Past 2 Years Remain Open

-- TribLive: Couple’s Death In House Explosion Rekindles Memories, Unanswered Questions On Home Explosions 

-- Post-Gazette: Crescent Twp. Community Mourns Couple Killed In Home Explosion As Investigators Seek Answers 

-- WTAE: Firefighters Return To Scene Of Crescent House Explosion After Fire Rekindles

-- WTAE: Crescent Twp. Police Thank Columbia Gas Worker Who Rushed To Shut Off Gas On Scene Of Home Explosion

-- WPXI: DEP Acknowledges Presence Of Unregistered Conventional Gas Wells Near Site Of Tuesday Explosion

-- KDKA: Fmr DEP Officials Says It’s ‘Nearly Impossible’ To Identify All Unregistered Conventional Gas Wells

-- WPXI: 2 Dead In Large House Explosion In Crescent Twp., Allegheny County; Private Gas Well, Propane Found And Secured  

-- Post-Gazette: 2 Killed In An ‘Absolutely Extreme’ Home Explosion In Crescent Twp., Allegheny County

-- AP: ‘Very Significant’ Explosion Kills 2 And Destroys House In Allegheny County

-- WPXI: Peoples Natural Gas Pipeline Has Been Leaking Gas Since October In Verona, Allegheny County 

-- Scranton Times: Gas Leak Evacuates Downtown Olyphant For 2 Hours In Lackawanna County

-- Education

-- Post-Gazette: New Collaboration Between Penn State Branch Campuses, Community Colleges Aims To Bolster Educational Opportunities

-- Post-Gazette: Western PA Colleges Using Innovative Methods To Recruit Students

-- Law Enforcement

-- WNEP: Kids For Cash: The New Crisis: ‘We’re On The Verge Of Catastrophe’ - Luzerne County Facing Another Crisis Within Its Juvenile Justice System

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Man Charged With Manufacturing ‘Ghost Guns’

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: PA Prisons Must Make Special Provisions For Mental Illness

-- TribLive Editorial: Is Westmoreland County A Sanctuary For Undocumented Immigrants Or Not?

-- The Economy

-- AP: Biden Opposes Plan To Sell US Steel To A Japanese Firm, Citing The Need For ‘American Steel Workers’

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Nippon Steel Says It’s Determined To See US Steel Sale Through

-- Warren Times: New Report Reveals Tourism Brought In $76 Billion For State In 2022

-- Beaver County Times: Main Street, Not Mafia: How Gambling In PA Entered A New Era, And What’s Next

-- Spotlight PA: PA Local Governments Want Long-Term State Money For Cybersecurity As Federal Grant Fills The Gap

-- WSJ: The Boomers Who Tried Moving To Florida And Ended Up In Appalachia 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Rep. Cabell’s Bill Would Impose Fee On Money Transfers Of Illegal Immigrants

-- Other

-- MotherJones.com: Admiral Rachel Levine Is Learning The Limits Of Representation

-- PennLive: Organizers Of Lancaster Drag Queen Story Hour Stand Firm As Republican Opposition Grows

[Posted: March 17, 2024]