Energy
Pennsylvania has always led America's production of energy. From day one, I have been focused on eliminating excessive regulations on energy producers in Pennsylvania. As the second largest electricity producing state in the country, Pennsylvania's industries and workers should continue to fuel our country's energy needs.
Unfortunately, President Obama's war on coal and the federal bureaucracy's excessive government regulations on the energy industry have caused many energy providers to close their production sites. While President Obama has given subsidies for failed green initiatives such as Solyndra, several coal-fired electricity plants in Pennsylvania have announced retirement or deactivation. Additionally, the Obama Administration rejected the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have imported oil from Canada (our largest foreign trading partner) and created 20,000 jobs.
Instead, much of our energy continues to come from the Middle East, a tremendously unstable region. Our dependence on Middle Eastern oil is a toxic habit that leaves our nation vulnerable to supply disruptions and deprives us of important economic benefits.
Increasing our domestic production will alleviate our reliance on foreign oil, give certainty to the market, decrease prices, and create jobs. I support increasing domestic energy through the advancement of clean-coal technology and the safe exploration of new domestic energy sources such as the Marcellus Shale. In Pennsylvania, the Marcellus Shale rock formation is one of the largest natural gas reserves in the hemisphere. I believe this resource can be safely explored and tapped. By using smart practices and upholding appropriate state regulations, natural gas from the Marcellus Shale can make the United States a leader in energy production.
More on Energy
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today voted for legislation which addresses the infrastructure needs of the U.S. waterway system and also allows states to develop their own enforcement programs for the recycling and disposal of coal ash. The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, S.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today looked back on the 114th Congress and highlighted his record of achievement in a variety of areas, including saving taxpayers more than $3 billion, combating the opioid epidemic, negotiating a new Highway Bill, protecting the steel industry, and strengthening after school programs for children. The 114th Congress opened in January 2015 and already has concluded much of its business leading into its final session days in November and December of this year. The 114th Congress has constituted Barletta’s third term in the U.
Click here or on image for video of Rep. Barletta arguing against purchasing energy from Russia for U.S. military installations.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today hailed the signing of pipeline safety legislation into law, noting that it included his language that protects the ability of states to use their own pipeline inspectors when dealing with federal agencies. President Obama has signed S. 2276, the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act, which reauthorizes the pipeline safety program administered by the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today voted in favor of H.R.
By Rep. Lou Barletta
It was like something from a Hollywood movie, but it was real. At about 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, a computer in an electricity distribution center in western Ukraine seemed to take on a life of its own. While a helpless worker watched, the cursor on the screen moved by itself and clicked on a box that opened a series of circuit breakers — a move that would take the entire power station offline.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today succeeded in amending pipeline safety legislation to protect the interests of states in using their own pipeline inspectors when dealing with federal agencies. Barletta’s amendment was incorporated into H.R.
Click here or on image for video of Rep. Barletta chairing a hearing of his Transportation & Infrastructure subcommittee.
Ranking member Rep. André Carson (D-IN) listens to testimony as well.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today backed legislation that makes it possible for coal-fired plants to use leftover waste coal, or culm, to generate energy, reclaim old coal mine lands, benefit the environment, and protect jobs. The Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment (SENSE) Act, authored by Rep.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today joined an amicus brief filed in the D.C.