LETTER Ban on wind development sets Pa. back

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s recent move to ban all future wind development projects on state gamelands is troubling, as is the Delaware River Basin Commission’s move forward with a moratorium on natural gas development in parts of northeastern Pennsylvania.
At a time when geopolitical tensions around the world continue to escalate, Pennsylvania’s abundant resources, including nuclear, coal, gas, oil and renewables, can help this country secure energy independence – while also continuing the significant downward trend in both emissions and utility bills that has been achieved over the past 10 years. Placing any of our energy resources off limits for development does not help Pennsylvania’s environment, economy, businesses or working families.
We recognize there are impacts from any form of energy development, which requires reasonable, cost-effective oversight from regulators – but categorically barring particular groups of energy projects from moving forward is not a prudent course of action. We as a state are not served well by hewing to an absolutist interpretation of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment, particularly interpretations that would conflict with the right to develop private property or that impede our nation’s considerable improvements in air quality.
Kevin Sunday
Director of government affairs, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry