Energy
Preventing Pennsylvania from Powering Down: Analysis of Governor Shapiro’s PACER and PRESS Proposals
Key Findings The Price Tag: Governor Shapiro’s Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) proposals would impose $157.2 billion in new electricity costs on…
Read More: Preventing Pennsylvania from Powering Down: Analysis of Governor Shapiro’s PACER and PRESS ProposalsMission Statement
The Commonwealth Foundation promotes market-driven solutions for energy policy that will benefit all Pennsylvanians. These policies must prioritize reliability, affordability, fairness, competition, and innovation, paving the way for Pennsylvania to embrace all its energy resources and unlock its full economic potential.
Education
Governor Shapiro’s Reckless 2026–27 Budget Proposal
Overview Gov. Josh Shapiro’s unaffordable budget worsens Pennsylvania’s structural deficit. The governor proposes nearly $53.26 billion in general fund spending, a 6.3 percent increase over the 2025–26 enacted budget. He…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Reckless 2026–27 Budget ProposalEducation
Governor Shapiro Presents Unaffordable State Budget
Gov. Josh Shapiro returns to Pennsylvania to pitch spending plan families cannot afford. Harrisburg, Pa., February 3, 2026 — In a campaign-style speech that doesn’t address the needs of Pennsylvanians, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2026 state budget address, proposing a $3.2 billion spending…
Press Release
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Efforts to Kill Gas Industry Disguised as Environmental Protection
Originally published by the Times Leader. Newly proposed regulations on Pennsylvania natural gas purport to protect the environment. However, the restrictions, if passed, would shut down…
Media Hit
Read More: Efforts to Kill Gas Industry Disguised as Environmental ProtectionEnergy
Deregulation Didn’t Cause the Energy Crunch—but Re-Regulation Will Make It Worse
Originally published by Broad + Liberty. Pennsylvanians are feeling the financial pinch when they receive their monthly electricity bills. Statewide, electricity demand has reached record-level highs,…
Media Hit
Read More: Deregulation Didn’t Cause the Energy Crunch—but Re-Regulation Will Make It WorseEducation
What Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Prioritize in 2026
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Pennsylvania stands at a pivotal moment. Families are stretched thin by higher costs, and employers are weighing whether to invest here or elsewhere. We can’t…
Commentary
Read More: What Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Prioritize in 2026Education
The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026
Pennsylvania saw no shortage of controversies and political battles in 2025, including a four-month-long budget impasse. But this year also saw lawmakers enact several pro-growth policies—from expanding educational choice to…
Blog
Read More: The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026Energy
What Can Pennsylvanians Do About Increasing Electricity Rates?
Just before Thanksgiving, Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) alerted customers about the rise in standard charges for electricity for seven of the eight major utility companies across the commonwealth.
Blog
Read More: What Can Pennsylvanians Do About Increasing Electricity Rates?Energy
The Future Of Energy Policy Begins In Pennsylvania
Originally published by the Daily Caller. As states grapple with rising electricity prices, lawmakers struggle to strike a balance between affordable energy and responsible environmental stewardship. Achieving both…
Media Hit
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Pennsylvania Needs More Energy and Sensible Regulation to Lure Data Centers
Originally published by Broad and Liberty. In July, nearly two dozen companies gathered in Pittsburgh, along with President Donald Trump and other leaders, to announce investments in data centers and…
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania Needs More Energy and Sensible Regulation to Lure Data CentersEnergy
‘Affordability First’ Is Flipping the Script on Energy Policy
Originally published by Real Clear Pennsylvania. In early November, U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson’s (R-Ohio) simple Affordable, Reliable, and Clean Energy Security Act underscored the titanic shift in…
Media Hit
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Pennsylvania’s Future Looks Much Brighter Without RGGI
Orginally published by PennLive. The future of Pennsylvania energy looks bright—especially after lawmakers ended the threat of what could have been a devastating carbon tax.
Media Hit
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Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGI
Harrisburg, Pa., November 12, 2025 — Despite Gov. Josh Shapiro’s failed leadership and a 135-day stalemate, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a compromise budget for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The Commonwealth Foundation has released…
Press Release
Read More: Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGIEducation
What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 State Budget
Summary Four months late, Gov. Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers agreed on a state budget deal. The agreement spends $1.4 billion less than Shapiro’s reckless, extreme proposal, and uses excessive…
Backgrounder
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New Report: Shapiro’s ‘Get Sh*t Done’ Slogan Doesn’t Match His Record
Gov. Josh Shapiro remains Pennsylvania’s least legislatively productive governor in the past 50 years. Harrisburg, Pa., November 10, 2025 — As presidential ambitions of Pennsylvania’s 48th governor become increasingly…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Shapiro’s ‘Get Sh*t Done’ Slogan Doesn’t Match His RecordEducation
Josh Shapiro: Least Productive Pennsylvania Governor in at Least 50 Years
Summary Nearly three years in office, a Commonwealth Foundation analysis finds Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first term is the least productive of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial term in at least 50 years.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Josh Shapiro: Least Productive Pennsylvania Governor in at Least 50 YearsEnergy
Commonwealth Foundation Leads the Conversation on Pennsylvania’s Energy Future
Pennsylvania’s role as a national energy leader took center stage during a dynamic panel discussion hosted by the Commonwealth Foundation at Shippensburg University. The event—introduced by the Commonwealth Foundation’s Vice…
Blog
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Leads the Conversation on Pennsylvania’s Energy FutureEnergy
Commonwealth Foundation Testifies on Energy Affordability
On October 28, lawmakers and policy experts from across the Mid-Atlantic region convened in Harrisburg to address rising energy costs and discuss potential solutions. Elizabeth Stelle, vice president of…
Blog
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Josh Shapiro’s Destructive Energy Policies Spill Across the Border
Orginally published by National Review. The New Jersey gubernatorial race has been electric—really. Soaring electricity costs have become the focal point of the race between the…
Media Hit
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Shapiro’s Energy “Blame Game” is Costing Pennsylvanians
Originally published by the Pottstown-Mercury. Pennsylvanians are tired of excuses, especially when it comes to rising energy costs. They open their electric bills, see the numbers…
Media Hit
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Has Governor Shapiro Reformed Permitting? Business Leaders Say, ‘No.’
Originally published by the Delaware Valley Journal. On Aug. 12, 2024, Gov. Josh Shapiro introduced the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program,…
Media Hit
Read More: Has Governor Shapiro Reformed Permitting? Business Leaders Say, ‘No.’Energy
Governor Shapiro Again Blames PJM for High Energy Prices, Ignores True Culprit: His Policies
Harrisburg, Pa., September 22, 2025 — This week, Gov. Josh Shapiro is speaking as Pennsylvania hosts PJM governors for the Multi-State Technical Conference in Philadelphia. The conference comes on the…
Press Release
Read More: Governor Shapiro Again Blames PJM for High Energy Prices, Ignores True Culprit: His Policies