Feb. 28, 2022
HARRISBURG – As much of the world imposes sanctions on Russia for its unjust invasion of Ukraine, Rep. Seth Grove is calling on the Pennsylvania Legislature to swiftly approve a bill he will soon introduce to increase natural gas drilling and distribution in the Commonwealth to reduce the United States’ reliance on Russian natural gas.
“Russia, and particularly its president, Vladimir Putin, must be held accountable for the senseless war in Ukraine. There is no reason why Americans should be forced to purchase natural gas imported from Russia,” Grove said. “My bill, the ‘End Russian Aggression Act,’ would reduce our reliance on Russian natural gas by increase the production and availability of Pennsylvanian natural gas.”
In addition to increasing drilling in the Commonwealth, Grove’s bill would also reform the drilling permit process and provide funding for pipeline development to increase distribution to other parts of the nation and the world. It would also end Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Joining RGGI significantly increases operating costs for power plants, and those costs will be passed on to consumers. The action would also lead to significant job loss in the energy industry.
“Now is not the time to hinder our natural gas industry. Rather, we must increase it to further secure our energy sector and decrease, if not zero out completely, American’s reliance on foreign gas,” Grove said. “This bill would also increase jobs here in Pennsylvania, improving our economy.”
Grove’s End Russian Aggression Act will be introduced shorty.