Pennsylvania Republicans were joined by labor, manufacturing and business leaders this week to champion the House-led Energize PA initiative, a legislative package that aims to attract new businesses to the state, create jobs and support economic growth without new taxes.
“Through this initiative, we are looking to bring in and expand employment opportunities as well as allow our economy to continue to flourish,” state Rep. Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne) said on Wednesday. “Thanks to affordable, abundant, clean-burning natural gas, Pennsylvania’s economic growth is being fueled by our very own natural resources.”
Advocates stressed the importance of supporting Pennsylvania’s energy sector.
“Maximizing domestic energy production is Pennsylvania’s best shot at generating broad-based, sustained economic growth,” David N. Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association. “Expanding Pennsylvania usage of that energy will power our industry, resurrect our brownfields and create jobs for our skilled tradesmen and manufacturing workers.”
Pennsylvania is now second only to Texas in natural gas production, Taylor noted, adding that a pro-growth, pro-production agenda for energy in Harrisburg is needed to help the economy grow.
“Natural gas producers have paid a record-breaking $250 million for the 2018 reporting year in impact fees, which is now a total of nearly $2 billion over the past eight years,” House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) said.
Introduced in April, one of the measures in the eight-bill Energize PA package already became law and another passed the House on Thursday. House Bill 1100, which would create an energy and fertilizer manufacturing tax credit, was approved by the House in a 139-46 vote and now advances to the Senate for consideration. The remaining bills will be considered by lawmakers this fall.
Rep. Fritz was the prime sponsor of HB 1103, a bill within the Energize PA package that is now Act 20 of 2019. The act makes grants available to construct the last several miles of distribution lines to business parks and existing manufacturing and industrial enterprises and seeks to accelerate the deployment of low-cost energy, create new economic base jobs and provide access to natural gas for residents.
The other Energize PA bills awaiting consideration include:
HB 1101: Increases the percentage rate cap for net operating losses from 40 percent to 45 percent in 2020, and 50 percent in tax year 2021.
HB 1102: Creates the Keystone Energy Enhancement Act, designed to facilitate economic growth and encourage capital investment within Pennsylvania’s natural gas, manufacturing and petrochemical industries;
HB 1104: Requires the Department Community and Economic Development to establish a registry for abandoned manufacturing sites across Pennsylvania;
HB 1105: Creates a consolidated standard permit for anyone conducting remediation activities under the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act;
HB 1106: Provides a comprehensive overhaul of the permitting process for all general and individual environmental permits, as well as general plan approvals;
HB 1107: Establishes the Pennsylvania Permitting Commission.