Editor: Policies advanced in two recent Times-Tribune editorials are misguided and represent bad public policy. A proposal regarding natural gas lease agreements (“House whiffs on fair gas royalties,”Oct. 12) ignores settled case law, for which the solution proposed is an unconstitutional effort to change existing contracts. The severance tax proposal pushed by Gov. Tom Wolf […]

A recent PennLive/Patriot-News editorial regrettably relies on a sloppily compiled report containing numerous, glaring errors. Though the report claims to tally shale-related political contributions, it included non-industry donors, such as wind, nuclear and utility companies. Specifically, the report considered contributions from a Pittsburgh-area Coca-Cola distributor, a federal credit union and the Humane Society of the […]

Pennsylvania’s natural gas tax continues to pay off for communities around the state. Last week, the Commonwealth Financing Authority announced grants for 123 projects, including many locally. That’s great news to celebrate — and it’s important to remember that those grants, which support playgrounds, trails, flood mitigation and other environmental programs, are funded through Pennsylvania’s […]

By David Spigelmyer, David Taylor and Gene Barr Pennsylvania is steeped with a rich manufacturing history – boosted by a blue collar, hardworking spirit upon which Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the surrounding communities was built and is hardwired into our DNA. While manufacturing has ebbed and flowed for generations, Pennsylvania is making things again, and that […]

Relying on a deeply biased so-called “report,” a recent Times-Tribune editorial (“Disclose all fracking chemicals,” Sept. 13) falls woefully short of providing your readers with legitimate facts. For starters, hydraulic fracturing fluids are typically made up of more than 99 percent water and sand, and less than 1 percent of highly diluted additives that we […]

It’s an absolute fact that natural gas development continues to be an economic and environmental winner for our region. But a letter to the editor (“Rural Pennsylvania Needs a New Voice”) shares misleading and downright false information regarding this important, job-creating, economic driver of the Commonwealth’s economy. Pennsylvania has a unique way of taxing natural […]

By David Spigelmyer As we move deeper into this election season, candidates will crisscross the state offering solutions to create jobs, grow the economy, protect our environment, keep us safe, and increase revenues, among many campaign promises. Even though it may seem like there’s much that pulls us apart, the need for clean, reliable and […]

By David Spigelmyer A rock formation more than a mile beneath the Earth’s surface is generating billions of dollars in energy savings for Pennsylvanians. And those savings are particularly helpful to low-income households, who typically pay, as the Post-Gazette has reported, “a higher percentage of their income toward energy costs.” That formation includes the Marcellus […]

By David Spigelmyer In central Pennsylvania, boaters and anglers can use two new access points to enjoy the scenic Juniata River. Near Wilkes-Barre, workers will rehabilitate four steel bridges that have fallen into disrepair. In Williamsport, a new $16 million airport terminal broke ground early this spring. And in Westmoreland County, the DiVirgilio Sports Complex […]

By David Spigelmyer Across the nation this past week, business groups, trade unions and consumer advocates came together to discuss the importance of improving and expanding the critical infrastructure that powers America. The message of National Infrastructure Week — “It’s Time to Build” — is one Pennsylvanians have known to be true for many years […]