PA Environment Digest Blog: Gov. Shapiro Appoints Mark Szybist New Special Counsel For Energy Affordability

On April 27, Gov Shapiro announced the appointment of experienced public interest attorney Mark Szybist to serve as Special Counsel for Energy Affordability, delivering on a promise made in the Governor’s 2026-27 budget address.

With more than 20 years of legal and policy experience in public utility, climate, and clean energy law, Szybist will be prepared on day one to advance the Shapiro Administration’s comprehensive strategy to stop utility companies from unfairly increasing their rates and needlessly raising costs for Pennsylvanians.

“I’m proud to appoint Special Counsel Szybist to serve as Pennsylvania’s newest watchdog on energy and utility affordability," said Governor Shapiro. “During a time when Pennsylvanians are faced with rising costs across the board, I have complete confidence in Mark’s ability to hold utility companies accountable and protect hardworking Pennsylvanians from predatory rate increases. I look forward to working with him to ensure we are delivering for the good people of Pennsylvania.”

“I am honored to serve as Pennsylvania’s first Special Counsel for Energy Affordability and humbled by the trust Governor Shapiro has placed in me,” said Special Counsel Szybist. “I have spent my career standing up for consumers and as Special Counsel, I will work hard alongside partners like the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate to hold utility companies accountable and protect Pennsylvanians from needless cost increases. As I begin this work with Governor Shapiro, we’ll continue to have Pennsylvanians’ backs.”

Governor Shapiro’s appointment is effective immediately; Szybist began serving as Special Counsel in the Office of General Counsel today, April 27, 2026.

Szybist Background

Mark Szybist is an energy and utility law attorney with 20 years of experience fighting for energy affordability, clean energy, and environmental protection.

Immediately before assuming his current position with the Commonwealth, Mark served as a Senior Assistant People’s Counsel with the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, where he represented the interests of residential utility customers in gas, electricity, water, and telecommunications matters before the Maryland Public Service Commission.

Mark’s specialization in public utility law followed eleven years of advocacy as a clean energy and environmental attorney, most recently as senior attorney and Pennsylvania clean energy policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Mark began his legal career by clerking for Judge Stephen M. Holden in the New Jersey Superior Court in Camden, New Jersey, then practiced consumer bankruptcy law in Williamsport before turning his career to energy with the advent of shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania.

A native of Williamsport, Mark earned his J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law and his B.A. from Princeton University.

Energy Affordability Issues

Governor Shapiro’s announcement said he has made lowering costs for Pennsylvanians a central focus of his Administration’s efforts around economic development and energy, consistently calling for a balanced approach that strengthens the grid, supports economic growth, and protects consumers from unnecessary rate increases.

For years, the Governor has fought to stop unnecessary electricity rate increases and ensure the grid works better for consumers, taking legal action in 2024 after repeatedly pushing PJM to modernize its rules, speed up project approvals, and improve reliability to block a flawed auction design that would have driven up costs.

He has continued building on that progress-- convening all 13 PJM governors to drive regional reform, creating the PJM Governors Collaborative to strengthen state oversight, and advancing new policies in Pennsylvania to improve transparency and prevent unnecessary rate increases.

Earlier this year, Governor Shapiro secured an extension of his price cap through PJM Interconnection through 2030 and successfully saved $510 million for nearly two million Pennsylvanians after demanding PECO withdraw its proposed rate increase.

In his 2026–27 proposed budget, the Governor also introduced GRID, the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development standards to protect energy, environmental, and water resources, promote transparent community engagement, and deliver local jobs and community development.

The Governor has made clear that protecting consumers and building new energy supply must go hand in hand. In January 2025, he introduced his commonsense energy strategy, the “Lightning Plan,” to build new clean, reliable, and affordable energy projects across the Commonwealth.

Governor Shapiro continues to deliver on his commitment to stand up for Pennsylvania families and businesses — ensuring reliable, affordable energy while holding powerful interests accountable.

Today’s announcement strengthens that commitment.

Click Here for the Governor’s announcement.

NewsClip:

-- ABC27: Shapiro Names First Special Counsel For Energy Affordability, Will Examine Utility Rate Requests, Take Legal Action To Stop Utility Companies From Making Exorbitant Rate Increases

Resource Links:

-- Natural Resources Defense Council - Mark Szybist: Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Power Problem, Part 1 - The Build Out

-- Natural Resources Defense Council - Mark Szybist: Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Power Problem, Part II - Cost And Risk

-- Environmental Health Project - Pennsylvania’s Shale Gas Boom - How Policy Decisions Failed To Protect Public Health And What We Can Do to Correct It [Mark Szybist - Reviewer]

-- PennFuture - Mark Szybist Testimony In Support Of Legislation Giving The Public A Greater Role In Proposed Oil & Gas Development In State Forests, Parks

-- FracTracker Alliance/PennFuture - Mark Szybist & George Jugovic, Jr.: Shale Gas Development On Public Lands

-- Natural Resources Defense Council - Mark Szybist: Testimony Before The Independent Regulatory Review Commission in support of DEP Regulations Reducing Carbon Pollution From Power Plants (RGGI)

-- Natural Resources Defense Council - Mark Szybist: Four Facts About Electricity Costs & RGGI In Pennsylvania [Supporting DEP Regulations Reducing Carbon Pollution From Power Plants]

-- Natural Resources Defense Council - Mark Szybist: It’s Time For Pennsylvania To Act On Environmental Justice

-- Clean Energy Advocate Mark Szybist: Pennsylvania At An Energy Crossroads: A Decade Of Shale Gas, And Where We Go Now At Lycoming College [Video]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 25 to May 1: Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment Top 204; Cleaning Up Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 245 Days [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 245: Expand Operating LLC Continuing Cleanup Of Ongoing Shale Gas Fracking Wastewater Release From Well Pad In Great Bend Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- DEP Signs Consent Orders With CNX Gas, Leatherwood LLC Requiring The Plugging Of 5 Conventional Coal Bed Methane Wells Prior To Longwall Coal Mining In Center Twp., Greene County [PaEN]

-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Natural Gas/Chemical Flare At MarkWest Harmon Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Was Briefly Almost As Bright As The Moon Last Night - Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 30]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 2 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2nd Stormwater Permit For SNA North LLC/QTS A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers [PaEN]