Garrity Unveils Natural Gas Plan to Challenge Gov. Shapiro
Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity promises to end Pennsylvania’s fracking ban on day one while challenging Gov. Josh Shapiro amid soaring energy costs.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced her plan to end Pennsylvania’s ban on new fracking sites and expand the commonwealth’s natural gas industry as the cornerstone of her gubernatorial campaign against incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Garrity, the Republican nominee for governor, outlined her energy agenda in a speech Tuesday to the Marcellus Shale Coalition, where she promised to lift restrictions on hydraulic fracturing operations on her first day in office.
“I see a Pennsylvania where families and businesses no longer dread opening their electric bills,” Garrity said, according to a copy of the speech provided by her campaign. “I see a Pennsylvania where the natural gas from my community in Bradford County is being processed at an LNG facility in Philadelphia, and then exported around the globe.”
Energy Policy Takes Center Stage
The energy-focused campaign platform comes as Pennsylvania grapples with mounting electricity costs driven by unprecedented demand from artificial intelligence data centers. Forecasters predict this demand will reach historic levels over the next decade.
Rising energy costs have been compounded by ongoing international conflicts. The United States’ war against Iran has entered its third month, keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and contributing to higher gas prices and fuel shortages nationwide.
Garrity, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination last month, positioned natural gas development as the solution to Pennsylvania’s economic challenges. She noted the commonwealth ranks near the bottom among states in measures including economic growth, education and overall success.
Historical Energy Legacy
The treasurer referenced Pennsylvania’s energy production history, noting the first oil well was drilled in Titusville in 1859. “So, how do we get from where we are today to where we all know we can be?” she asked during her address to the natural gas industry group.
Garrity described her vision as “Pennsylvania’s turnaround” powered by natural gas development, contrasting it with what she called the current trajectory under Shapiro’s administration.
“This is not what we see in Pennsylvania today, and it’s not the Pennsylvania we will be if we stay on our current path,” Garrity said, according to the prepared remarks.
Campaign Battleground Set
The gubernatorial race between Garrity and Shapiro is expected to center heavily on energy policy as both candidates present competing visions for addressing the commonwealth’s economic and energy challenges.
Garrity’s proposal to immediately lift the state ban on new fracking sites represents a sharp departure from current state policy and sets up a clear contrast with the incumbent governor’s approach to natural gas development.
The campaign announcement signals that energy production, economic growth, and utility costs will be key issues as Pennsylvania voters prepare to choose their next governor.
