Western Pennsylvania has long been one of our nation’s premier energy producers. Our shale deposits are an enormous opportunity; some have referred to Marcellus Shale as “the new steel” for the Pittsburgh region.
But such a proclamation is setting our sights too low. As a pioneer in the energy sector, Western Pennsylvania is poised to become one of the most economically prosperous regions in the country and in the world. Rather than seek government subsidies and the inevitable government regulations that follow, our focus must be on getting the federal government out of the way in the energy industry, while eliminating wasteful subsidies.
Throughout his career, Rep. Murphy has supported green energy subsidies, ethanol, and every other type of energy you can think of. He puts his faith in the government to figure out how to invest in our country’s energy needs. I do not.
The way to secure energy independence and fiscal prosperity in Western Pennsylvania is to empower us to out-compete the rest of the world. We need to stop viewing Marcellus Shale as a way to increase government revenues and begin thinking of it as a way to bolster our entire economy. Consider how many jobs will be coming to Western Pennsylvania as a result of the wealth creation associated with providing the world with natural gas for decades to come.
Energy subsidies like the ones Mr. Murphy supports, even for natural gas, are not the answer. In every case, government payments come with strings attached and stifle innovation. More importantly, in a free market, energy technologies must compete based on their efficiency, cost, safety, and environmental impact. If the government starts paying for these technologies, we will inevitably misallocate capital, stifle innovation, and miss out on future opportunity.
