PA Environment Digest Blog: Senate Committees Hold Oct. 4 Hearing On Failure To Invest In PA’s Natural Gas Infrastructure; Hearing Set After PennEast Announced NJ Part Of Its Project Would Not Go Forward, But PA Part Might

Friday, October 1, 2021

Senate Committees Hold Oct. 4 Hearing On Failure To Invest In PA’s Natural Gas Infrastructure; Hearing Set After PennEast Announced NJ Part Of Its Project Would Not Go Forward, But PA Part Might

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy and Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committees are scheduled to hold a hearing October 4 on the “consumer and economic impacts of failing to invest in Pennsylvania’s natural gas infrastructure."

Committee members will hear testimony from labor officials, economic development and business leaders, and consumer advocates. A list of witnesses scheduled to testify is not available at this time.

PennEast Pipeline last week announced it was not moving ahead with the development of its pipeline project that would have delivered natural gas from Northcentral Pennsylvania into New Jersey.

PennEast did say it was looking at what further steps are needed to start the Pennsylvania portion of the project. [Read more here]

The Pennsylvania portion of the project would run through Luzerne, Northampton, Carbon and Bucks counties and offer three delivery points-- UGI Utilities, Inc. (to serve the Blue Mountain Ski Resort) and new interconnections with Columbia Gas and Adelphia Gateway to serve the growing demand in the southeast region. [Read more here]

Sen. John Yudichak (I-Luzerne), Majority Chair of the Senate Community and Economic Development Committee, issued a statement after the PennEast announcement saying, “Frivolous lawsuits and misguided political policies, like RGGI [Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative], have halted the development of the PennEast Pipeline Project, which could result in the loss of over 12,000 jobs in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“UGI, and their development partners, along with the Pennsylvania Construction and Building Trade Unions have worked diligently to bring this clean burning $1.3 billion natural gas project to eastern Pennsylvania, where they have met every standard placed before them from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to the United States Supreme Court. Still, environmental extremists persist in putting radical ideology in the way of good-paying jobs.”

PA Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr also issued a statement, “Activists are cheering upon the recent news that the sponsors of the PennEast project, a more than $1 billion investment that would have delivered Pennsylvania-produced natural gas into markets in New Jersey, have cancelled the project.

“Let’s be clear: this is no victory – not for ratepayers, who are now lacking a reliable source of gas and electricity; not for the economy, which is now out several thousand well-paying construction jobs at a time when the economy continues to struggle; and not for the environment, as this obstruction results in the mid-Atlantic being more reliant on imported fuels from foreign nations that do not have our strict environmental standards. It is no victory that Russian-sourced gas has been imported into Boston harbor in recent winters.

“The increased production of natural gas has directly led to substantial reductions in utility bills for businesses and working families in our state and region, as well as historic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and a significant improvement in air quality.

“Unfortunately, pipeline constraints due in no small part to misguided political opposition from activists have precluded neighboring states from reaping the benefits of this critical infrastructure development, despite regulated utilities in New Jersey noting to their public service commission that they may not have enough gas to meet winter demand.

“The news of this cancellation underscores the importance of state and federal policymakers taking bold strides to make it easier to build things in this country again.

“While many of our member companies execute sustainability strategies and are deploying significant capital into zero- and low-carbon resources, renewable energy is not a solution for many industries, and we must afford companies and consumers the option of energy choice.

“Our economy will not get back on its feet through heavy-handed mandates that raise energy costs and discourage innovation.”

The hearing will be held in Room 8E-A East Wing starting at 2:00 p.m. Click Here to watch the hearing live.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov. Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5709 or sending email to: senatorcomitta@pasenate.com.

Sen. John Yudichak (I-Luzerne) serves as Majority Chair of the Community and Economic Development Committee and can be contacted at 717-787-7105 or send email to: John@pasen.gov. Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted at 717-787-5544 or send email to: cappelletti@pasenate.com.

NewsClips:

-- NJ.com: Backers Of PennEast Pipeline Examining Steps Needed To Start The PA Portion Of The Project, But For Now PennEast Ceased All Further Development

-- WHYY: PennEast Cancels Natural Gas Pipeline Project; Cites Lack Of Environmental Permits From NJ

-- Bloomberg: PennEast Gas Project Halted In Latest U.S. Pipeline Casualty