Guest Op/Ed: Take the EDGE off price hikes for PA’s working families

By SEN. JAY COSTA AND SEN. NICK PISCIOTTANO

Pisciottano

After months of uncertainty from Washington D.C., a yoyo stock market responding to on-again, off-again tariffs that are triggering inflation, and economic growth that seems to be sputtering to a crawl, families are worried about their costs and businesses are questioning the future of the regional and global economy.

What we do know is that prices will continue going up for working families because of this instability – and, despite our commonwealth’s abundant resources, companies are afraid to make longterm, large-scale investments due to that uncertainty.

A family looking to avoid rising costs can choose not to buy a new car, wait before buying a new smartphone, or even change their eating habits to avoid food products from other countries that now cost more.

However, most families are running out of fat to trim from their household budgets, and even the thriftiest among us must still turn the lights on and heat our homes, no matter how high the energy bill runs.

We’ve got a plan to cut costs and put more money back in your pocket when you’re paying your energy bills. And, while we’re doing it, we’re going to create new jobs and make sure our aging electricity grid can handle the demands of today – and tomorrow.

The Democratic-controlled PA House of Representatives recently passed a bill to make major changes to the state’s Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Program – better known as PA EDGE.

EDGE was created in 2022 and should be a job-creating engine that reduces energy costs for Pennsylvanians, but unfortunately, it’s not being used at all. With a few simple updates to the program, we can jumpstart Pennsylvania’s economy, lower energy costs for consumers, create thousands of construction jobs and permanent jobs, and lay the foundation for the future energy needs of the country.

Here’s the plan:

• Create a reliable energy investment credit of $100 million per energy production facility and a $49 million investment into the state’s hydrogen economy in order to build, improve, and maintain dependable, affordable energy sources. This all-of-the-above approach to energy will spur investment, innovation, and high-tech, high-wage jobs while making sure our grid can keep running, no matter the demand.

• Invest in sustainable aviation fuel with up to $15 million a year to support companies that invest in our commonwealth and create jobs while helping reduce emissions in transportation. Other states have already invested in creating SAF production to meet a glut of unmet demand from domestic and international airlines. The Pittsburgh International Airport’s unique microgrid footprint is well-positioned to take advantage of this investment and become a world leader in the production of SAF while creating a new industry right here in our backyard.

• Upgrade existing incentives for semiconductor manufacturing to expand eligibility to early-stage semiconductor businesses so we can capitalize on Carnegie Mellon’s world-renowned robotics and next-gen technology expertise.

• Expand the Dairy Production Tax Credit will support Pennsylvania farmers and lower costs for in-state production of grocery staples like milk, cheese, and butter ensuring the economy of rural Pennsylvania is not left behind.

Investing in these industries can create an innovation ecosystem that builds on Western Pennsylvania’s history of high-tech manufacturing and our world class research institutions. The opportunity to invest in and create new industries is only possible because of our second-to-none labor force which has the training and expertise to build, maintain, and operate these new innovation districts and critical infrastructure.

EDGE means lower costs for working families, new jobs for Pennsylvanians of all skillsets from building trades members to robotics researchers, and a cleaner, more reliable energy grid.

It’s a win-win-win for every Pennsylvanian.

As legislators get down to the brass tacks of negotiating the 2025-26 PA budget, we must be prioritizing economic growth for working families. We are urging our colleagues in the Senate to quickly call up House Bill 500, championed in the House by Representatives John Inglis and Rob Matzie, thereby joining us in reimagining Pennsylvania’s energy future together. The time to protect consumers, empower our energy economy, and create good union jobs while doing it is now.

State Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills and Sen. Nick Pisciottano, D-West Mifflin, co-sponsored the Senate version of this bill and have been steadfast champions of this particular pillar of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s The Lightning Plan.

Costa

Pisciottano