KINGSTON — Rep. Aaron Kaufer stated on Monday that despite Pennsylvania having plenty of energy resources, families and businesses spend too much on heating and electricity.
“We need to do more to decrease the amount of money consumers spend on energy as they try to make ends meet, and that's what my bill aims to do,” explained Kaufer, R-Kingston. “I am looking forward to collaborating with my fellow representatives to implement real ways to save on energy costs as we strive to make living and working in Pennsylvania more affordable.”
Kaufer, along with seven other state House Republicans, is introducing a series of bills to tackle the affordability of energy across the Commonwealth.
Kaufer’s bill aims to allocate funds from Act 129 of 2008, which increased the oversight responsibilities of the Public Utility Commission (PUC), to redirect unused money for energy efficiency and conservation programs.
Given the significant impact of energy costs on consumers, Kaufer mentioned that his bill aims to repurpose these funds for various purposes — the most immediate being returning the money to ratepayers as a negative surcharge.
Kaufer indicated that there are nine bills being introduced as a package, addressing initiatives such as establishing an independent energy advocate, extending the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, revitalizing now-closed energy production facilities, and analyzing the effects of regulations on the affordability for communities at risk of energy poverty, among others.
Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), Whip Tim O’Neal (R-Washington), and Policy Chairman Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) expressed their support on Tuesday for the package of legislation introduced by Kaufer and caucus members, focusing on actual energy savings for Pennsylvania’s families and small businesses.
Cutler mentioned that this set of legislation, concentrating on savings for Pennsylvania’s energy consumers, sharply contrasts with the plan presented by Gov. Josh Shapiro in recent weeks and the proposals offered by House Democrats during this legislative session.
“Living in Pennsylvania needs to be more economical, and the bills introduced today will directly save costs for Pennsylvania’s energy consumers, making it more affordable for families and small businesses to reside in Pennsylvania,” said Cutler.
“This set of legislation is exactly the kind of discussion we should be having — about how to utilize our resources and creativity to reduce government intervention, generate actual savings for Pennsylvania’s families, and focus on our energy assets to bring meaningful improvements in the lives of Pennsylvanians.”