Harrisburg, PA — February 3, 2026 — Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) President Jim Welty issued the following statement today in response to Governor Shapiro’s budget address, underscoring the importance of energy affordability as policymakers develop and work through the state’s budgeting process:
“Energy affordability and reliability are top priorities for Pennsylvania consumers, families, and small businesses. Thanks to safely produced Pennsylvania natural gas, consumers have realized significant savings, with nearly $17 billion saved just over the past two years alone. Our diverse industry also supports nearly 123,000 of good-paying family-sustaining jobs across the Commonwealth, particularly in the building trades, while generating billions in tax revenues that fund schools, public safety, and essential community services.
“With such a focus on affordability, however, we are concerned with any policies that would increase costs for consumers. The PACER program, for example, would have cost Pennsylvania consumers an additional $1.6 billion last year if it was in place. Likewise, the current alternative energy portfolio mandate cost consumers over $700 million last year, and Governor Shapiro is proposing to nearly triple this mandate with his PRESS proposal.
“Despite the fact that natural gas provides more than 60% of the electricity in Pennsylvania, the Governor’s Lightning Plan would reduce Pennsylvania’s share of electricity that can be supplied by natural gas to just 18%, sidelining the cleanest, most cost-effective energy resource at a time when consumers are already struggling with rising expenses.
“We urge the Governor and the General Assembly to advance policies that protect consumer interests by helping to build and deploy infrastructure, attract new baseload power generation, and encourage capital investment in the Commonwealth. Our members stand ready to work collaboratively to advance these policies in the coming months.”
