Lawmakers and DEP debate natural-gas advantages, RGGI and permitting barriers

Committee members asked Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley how the administration's energy and climate initiatives interact with Pennsylvania's position as a major natural-gas producer and whether proposals such as RGGI or new cap-and-invest programs could deter industrial investment.

Shirley said Pennsylvania has abundant natural gas and that market prices are a strong incentive for development. She cautioned that regional interconnection constraints in the PJM queue are limiting new natural-gas-fired power-plant proposals across many states, not only Pennsylvania. On proposed state initiatives, Shirley said rulemakings such as cap-and-invest remain under legal review (she noted court activity) and that the administration's "lighting" plan includes a proposed reset or siting board to help resolve local siting and interconnection uncertainty.

Members also asked about permitting efficiency. Shirley said DEP selected Salesforce for an e-permitting platform, is rolling out a permit tracker and is testing pilot programs and third-party review to speed certain registrations and general permits. DEP Director David Althoff described the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program as a longstanding, oversubscribed grant of roughly $5 million a year that supports natural-gas, propane, electric and other alternative-fuel deployments for fleets and schools.

Lawmakers pressed the department to quantify economic impacts and to explain how policy and permitting reforms will be balanced against environmental and public-health goals.