Don’t Stifle PA Energy Dominance With Net-Zero Policies
My latest at IWF.
All eyes are on Pennsylvania this fall. And for good reason. This oil and gas-producing state is not only politically important, it’s an important top energy-producing state. But the Commonwealth’s status is at risk if politicians don’t rethink radical net-zero climate policies that are costly and do little to bolster the environment.
Pennsylvania energy jobs won't survive the Biden-Harris administration’s net-zero climate policies for long. In January 2021, the White House issued an executive order establishing a goal to entirely phase out fossil fuels, economy-wide, by 2050. Should this policy go unchallenged, it would be economically devastating to Pennsylvania’s 423,000 oil and gas workers. These industries are responsible for $40 billion in wages and add $75 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy. The average salary of state-based oil and gas averages $31 per hour, compared to $27 per hour for renewable energy jobs in the state. These careers sustain regions like northwest Pennsylvania where good-paying jobs are hard to find.
Net-zero climate policies won’t just cost Pennsylvania jobs, but also undermine energy security for residents and other businesses in the state and region by shifting away from reliable, baseload power derived from oil and gas to unreliable solar and wind substitutes. This would imperil Eastern U.S. states that are largely dependent on Pennsylvania for cheap, reliable electricity. The Keystone State is the top East Coast supplier of oil, natural gas, coal, and electricity. It’s the second largest producer of gas after Texas, the third largest coal-producing state, and, even in clean energy, Pennsylvania generates a large share of electricity from nuclear energy–just second after Illinois. It may move up the ranks more when the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant restarts by 2028.
Utility-scale solar and wind can’t credibly compete with natural gas, nuclear, and coal–which supplied 54%, 32%, and 10% of the Commonwealth’s electricity supply in 2022, respectively. If the Keystone State adopts intermittent solar and wind power, Pennsylvanians will see higher energy costs and more grid instability. It’s unrealistic to see these clean energy alternatives fulfill growing electricity demand in Pennsylvania and beyond.
If state oil and gas workers are displaced from the workforce on account of net-zero policies, environmental stewardship will similarly be deprioritized. Many of Pennsylvania’s oil and gas workers are avid sportsmen and women who hunt and fish in and around national forests home to active energy projects. Why would they actively support destroying natural resources and wild spaces they enjoy? The industry follows strict protocols to limit their environmental footprint.
A vibrant oil and gas industry in the Keystone State also gives energy workers more disposable income to buy fishing tackle, rods, and licenses to pump back conservation monies to Pennsylvania to the tune of $9.3 million last year. State-based energy companies have monetarily supported elk conservation efforts, and worked with the state to bolster and restore habitat near drilling sites.
Under a balanced use philosophy, smart energy development can be balanced with true conservation efforts. Hydraulic fracturing, when done correctly, results in cleaner air and water conditions compared to other sources. Horizontal drilling, in particular, uses a fraction of land compared to other comparable leases. Pennsylvania State University even analyzed how roads connecting to natural gas projects indirectly bolster wild trout streams by improving “the productivity and water chemistry of the stream.”
Pennsylvania, like America, can maintain energy dominance while juggling environmental stewardship. Pitting these two interests against each other is unsustainable to lasting environmental progress.
In the spirit of National Energy Appreciation Day (NEAD) on October 4th, a holiday our organization established last year, it’s imperative to spotlight the incredible contributions of the men and women who comprise Pennsylvania’s energy workforce. Net-zero climate policies would be detrimental to the workforce and stifle conservation efforts in the Keystone State.
Gabriella Hoffman is director of Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Energy and Conservation.
Brianna Howard is mayor of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania and External Relations Manager at Independent Women’s Forum.
Originally posted on RealClearEnergy and IWF.org