ICYMI: PA GOP Chairman Val DiGiorgio Op-Ed – Out of state interests continue to hinder Pennsylvania’s economy

In case you missed it, Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Val DiGiorgio wrote an op-Ed in The Center Square highlighting how out of state interests and liberal Democrats continue to hinder Pennsylvania’s economic capabilities.

Here are some highlights from the op-Ed:

It’s the same song and dance: out-of-state interests and liberal elitists hounded by a progressive mob make a decision that benefits literally no one and negatively impacts Pennsylvanians, our landowners, and our economic future.

This month, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rejected the Northeast Enhancement Project that would’ve shipped natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York via an underseas pipeline. The pipeline was nominally rejected for failing to meet water quality standards.

In reality, it was rejected on a technicality following an activist campaign and opposition from radical progressive leadership within New York State, including Mayor Bill De Blasio, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, and of course, the ever-outraged Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

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In fact, Pennsylvania in general and Northeast Pennsylvania in particular has been poised to take greater advantage of the state’s home-grown energy resources. 

However, influence from out-of-state groups like the Delaware River Basin Commission controlled by liberal activist leaders like Gov. Tom Wolf and Gov. Andrew Cuomo coupled with the ever-looming threat of a natural gas severance tax have halted the natural gas industry’s expansion into gas-potential areas like Northeastern Pennsylvania.

If states like Pennsylvania and New York were to find a way to work with energy-producing job creators rather than obtusely stifle their growth, industry expansion would no doubt follow. That means Pennsylvania landowners could lease their land for exploration, drilling, and to operators. 

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When New York’s decisions impact Pennsylvania’s ability to expand its economic potential, nobody wins and everyday Pennsylvanians continue get hurt as a result of the failed leadership of out-of-touch Democrats. It’s these kinds of impulsive progressive policies that we could expect nationwide if a Democrat were to take the White House in 2020 – and that’s why the people of Pennsylvania will fight to make sure that doesn’t happen.

You can read the op-Ed in full HERE.

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