New Report on Stalled Energy Projects in Pennsylvania Shows How Overregulation Leads to Higher Energy Costs, Unreliable Power
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today released a new study detailing the harmful impact of regulations and red tape in the form of over 30 stalled and abandoned energy infrastructure projects across six states, including Pennsylvania. Many of these projects remain in limbo despite energy costs near all-time highs and projections that indicate demand will steadily increase over the next decade. The analysis for Pennsylvania can be read here.
Projects studied in Pennsylvania include: the now-abandoned Renovo Natural Gas Power Plant, the long-stalled Northern Access 2016 project, and the York Energy Pumped Storage Facility.
The analysis, conducted by energy data and analytics firm ARBO, finds that regulatory hurdles, permitting delays, lawsuits and other government barriers are costing these states tens of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in economic growth, and keeping reliable and affordable energy out of reach for millions of households across the country.
“Pennsylvania is an energy exporting state,” said AFP-PA State Director Ashley Klingensmith. “The impact of overregulating energy production won’t just be felt here—it’s going to be felt up the Eastern Seaboard. Not only are excessive litigation and byzantine permitting undermining the state’s opportunity to attract necessary investment—but they are also making energy more expensive for Americans across the country and Pennsylvanians from Pittsburgh to Philly. All while threatening the integrity of the power grid. We need to send a message to Washington: it’s time to cut the red tape and get these projects moving again.”
Balancing the need for streamlined and efficient energy systems and processes with robust environmental and safety standards is an ongoing challenge for policymakers and regulatory agencies. When things are held up, it can cause the companies building these projects to face a decision to abandon critical projects.
This report details projects stalled in six states: Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
To illustrate the human toll of overregulation by Washington, D.C. and Bidenomics, AFP is also releasing a series of videos spotlighting towns and cities that have been decimated by factories and projects that were shut down or canceled.
The first in the series focuses on Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and can be seen here.
