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| Doyle Heffley is the Representative for Pennsylvania House of Representatives 122nd District (R-Carbon County).Email him at dheffley@pahousegop.com. |
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The United States is faced with an energy crisis, and Pennsylvania and Carbon County are no exceptions. Too many residents can't afford to heat their homes and more people are finding themselves shelling out more cash at the gas pumps, all during a time when budgets are tight and jobs are being lost. The increased costs of both heating and transportation fuels have also stymied new business. That's why, over the past year, my colleagues and I in Harrisburg have drafted several pieces of legislation, as well as held many conversations, to help address the energy crisis needs in the commonwealth.
At the forefront of my concerns is the threat of the potential shutdown of three oil refineries in southeast Pennsylvania. My fellow Rep. Stephen Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) recently hosted two hearings in Harrisburg to address issues regarding the potential shutdown of Sunoco's Philadelphia and Marcus Hook refineries and ConocoPhillips' Trainer location. Although Pennsylvania residents living outside those refineries' counties may assume they won't be directly affected by the closures, they could be in for quite an awakening. The potential refinery closures would affect the entire state.
The potential refinery closures leave the entire country's supply of petroleum products vulnerable to disasters, such as the hurricanes that shut down Gulf Coast refineries in 2005, and the Northeast vulnerable to heating oil price hikes and shortages. Together, the three refineries account for nearly half of the refining capacity of the East Coast and about four percent nationwide. Locally, the loss of that supply could cause spikes in gasoline prices and make the East Coast more dependent on gasoline imports. Reducing refinery capacity in Pennsylvania, and the entire nation, gives other areas of the world, like India, more control over our nation's oil supply, and increases our dependency on other countries. |
Because dozens of southeastern Pennsylvania businesses rely on the refineries as a key component of their survival, the ripple effect caused by the closure of the refineries could result in about 20,000 lost jobs across Pennsylvania. I am primarily concerned about potential job losses in the transportation industry in Carbon County, as well instability in energy prices and a loss of tax base. The threat of increasing oil costs of oil would put our state's most vulnerable residents at risk.
Another key energy concern facing Carbon County is the recent shortage of coal. Because many residents across Carbon County rely on coal to heat their homes, I realize how important it is for our state government and environmental agencies to work together to l to keep the industry viable, create more jobs and provide a reliable and affordable source of energy.
I was pleased that the House voted 193-1 to approve House Bill 1813, an anthracite bill which would give coal mining companies the ability to expand operations to help prevent a local coal shortage, create more jobs and clean up the environment across Carbon and surrounding counties. I will continue my efforts to advance bills to ensure local coal suppliers will have coal to distribute to the residents of Carbon County. As advocates of eco-friendly initiatives push for more green technology and electric cars, it's important to note that those measures cannot be accomplished without the use of coal. |
