Pennsylvania Sens. Camera Bartolotta (R-46), Kim Ward (R-39), Joe Pittman (R-41), Devlin Robinson (R-37), and Gene Yaw (R-23) said federal designation of two hydrogen hubs in the state will positively impact jobs, energy and the environment.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced two regional clean hydrogen hubs would be located in Pennsylvania – the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) located in Philadelphia, and the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) located in West Virginia and reaching into Pennsylvania. The two hubs will join five others across the country to share in $7 billion in federal funding that will help the US reach its goal of producing 50 million metric tons of clean hydrogen fuel by 2050.
Combined, the MACH2 and ARCH2 projects will receive $1.7 billion in investment from the federal government, as well as billions more in private sector commitments from companies involved in the projects.
“Because of our abundant natural resources and highly skilled and ready workforce, Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to be a national leader in the development and use of hydrogen,” Bartolotta said. “We can make hydrogen in Pennsylvania cleaner and more cost-effective than anywhere else on earth as long as we provide regulatory certainty for companies that want to make hydrogen investments in Pennsylvania. We cannot let misinformed environmental extremists and politicians distort the truth and toss family-sustaining jobs by the wayside.”
The legislators said they anticipate the hubs will produce thousands of jobs across a number of industries including skilled building and construction.
“Pennsylvania’s energy resources are one of our commonwealth’s greatest assets and are a pathway to prosperity creating good-paying jobs that drive our state’s economy while also protecting our national interests,” said Ward. “With the current global energy plays taking place in the Middle East and with Russia, China and Ukraine, now is not the time to take energy options off the table. Instead, we should be investing and innovating the energy options we have right here at home in Pennsylvania.”