Mar. 24, 2025
WATERFORD— Rep. Jake Banta (R-Erie), Policy Committee Chairman David H. Rowe (R-Snyder/Union/Mifflin/Juniata) and other lawmakers hosted a hearing Friday in Erie County titled “Stopping New Energy Taxes” to analyze how unfavorable energy policies negatively impact consumers and businesses and drive investments outside of Pennsylvania.
Testifiers included Dan Coffee, executive vice president, Quantum EP; David Clark, president, Pennsylvania Grade Crude Oil Coalition; Brian Sprague, former small business owner; and Kenny Stein, vice president, policy, Institute for Energy Research.
All four testifiers agreed: Pennsylvania’s future will not be as bright if the governor’s unfavorable energy policy proposals come to light. It will drive away potential investment in Pennsylvania, cause increased cost of utilities and perpetuate the unreliable energy supply.
“Balancing the budget on the back of the oil and gas industry has been a tool for politicians for decades,” said Coffee in his testimony. “Increasing taxes on oil and gas will decrease jobs, which will affect grocery stores, fuels, motels, factories, unions, farmers and everything oil and gas touches. Instead of capping emissions, it would be more beneficial to increase the use of natural gas to drive down carbon issues in the atmosphere.”
“The push to tax Pennsylvania’s reliable, homegrown energy while subsidizing unreliable green energy is not just bad policy—it’s a direct threat to our economy, our grid stability and our way of life,” said Clark.
Reflecting on Pennsylvania’s industrial past, when opportunity was plentiful and family-sustaining jobs were available in all our communities, Sprague referred to Pennsylvania’s untapped energy resources, “We already have a solution; we’re just bypassing it.”
“Energy taxes raise costs at every step of the process, so the final cost of a product at the grocery store or the mall will be hit multiple times by an energy tax,” said Stein. “This compounding effect means that energy taxes should always be instituted carefully, if at all, even in normal times. When inflation is still elevated, as today, energy taxes are perhaps the worst kind of intervention to pursue.”
“It was a privilege to host today’s hearing on stopping new energy taxes,” shared Banta. “Pennsylvania has many opportunities to unleash our energy potential, but further taxing hard-working Pennsylvanians is not an option. We heard great testimony today which will inform our committee and the Republican Caucus moving forward in this session and budget process.”
“The governor’s energy tax is a tax on you, your family, your business -- Pennsylvania’s future,” reminds Rowe. “No more losing to our neighboring states; let’s make Pennsylvania an energy leader again.”
To watch the complete hearing, visit
pagoppolicy.com/video/policy.
Representative Jake Banta
4th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Matt Davis
717-787-3994
mdavis@pahousegop.com
repbanta.com