The latest news out of Harrisburg confirms what we had long suspected: energy infrastructure development in the Commonwealth has bipartisan support.
Governor Tom Wolf has recently pledged to veto House Bill (HB) 1100. HB 1100 would require companies building in-state petrochemical plants to invest at least $450 million and create at least 800 new construction and permanent jobs for Pennsylvanians and many of the state’s labor unions. As its bipartisan support in the Pennsylvania House and Senate indicates, this is a true win-win for the Commonwealth. In return said companies – like Shell and its Beaver County cracker plant – would receive a tax break from the state.
Since Governor Wolf’s announcement unions like LiUNA have quickly moved to show their support for HB 1100, after all these projects strongly rely on the work of skilled union members to see the projects to completion.
In particular LiUNA has organized a union truck to drive around Harrisburg with an electronic billboard on the sides encouraging people to call Governor Wolf’s office and ask for HB 1100 not to be vetoed.
PEIA is supportive of legislation that incentivizes energy infrastructure development as outlined in HB 1100. It is disappointing to Governor Wolf intentionally get in the way of the state’s prosperity, this will surely not be forgotten at the ballot box.