‘A game-changer’: Dem gov spurns enviros, slashes red tape following party’s disastrous election performance

Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is looking to help cut red tape slowing down construction projects after his state swung right on Election Day.

The Keystone State underwent a “red wave” up and down the ballot on Nov. 5, with the presidential, Senate, attorney general, auditor general, and state treasurer races all going to Republican candidates. Now, despite stoking environmentalist concern, Shapiro is attempting to accelerate economic development and infrastructure projects through the “PA Permit Fast Track Program,” which aims to streamline approval processes for construction requiring permits from multiple state agencies.

“The PA Permit Fast Track Program is a game-changer that enhances coordination and communication between the project sponsor and state agencies to cut through red tape, streamline critical projects, and give businesses the confidence to invest and create jobs here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said in a Tuesday press release following his signing of an executive order establishing the initiative. “We’re proving that government can move at the speed of business and we’re building a stronger, more competitive Commonwealth where folks want to live, work, and build their future.”

The program directs the state’s Office of Transformation and Opportunity to promote inter-agency cooperation by coordinating meetings, timelines, and permitting milestones, according to the release.

Shapiro’s de-regulation effort comes despite concern from some climate hawks. David Masur, executive director at PennEnvironment, told E&E News the governor’s permitting policies have raised “some real red flags for environmental advocates.”

“I think it’s all about this idea of ‘we’re a business-friendly environment,’” Masur told E&E. “We get nervous that, if done incorrectly, speed can do more harm than good.”

Shapiro has led de-regulation efforts in Pennsylvania prior to the Fast Track Program, launching PAyback.pa.gov in November 2023 which refunds residents’ application fees if they have overdue permits from the state. Pennsylvania also put $7 million toward updating its Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) technology systems in its 2024-2025 budget, helping the agency to completely eliminate its backlog for oil and gas permits.

Shapiro attempted to defend Democrat officials who tried to count deficient ballots in the state’s tight Senate race last week, claiming they did so due to a lack of “legal clarity,” despite the state supreme court’s pre-election orders to not count undated or misdated ballots. Meanwhile, a watchdog group accused the Pennsylvania State Education Association of illegally laundering $1.5 million to fund the governor’s 2022 campaign.

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