House bill blocks municipalities from control over home energy sources – NorthcentralPa.com

Harrisburg, Pa. — While some U.S. cities move away from fossil fuels, Pennsylvania is maintaining an “energy choice” approach as recent state legislation reinforces natural gas use.

The Pennsylvania House recently approved House Bill 1947, which would become a law to prevent municipalities from enacting ordinances to prohibit the use of natural gas as a utility.

Specifically, according to the bill language, municipalities would be prohibited from adopting a policy that restricts, prohibits, or has the effect of restricting or prohibiting, the connection or reconnection of a utility service based on the type of energy source to be delivered to an individual consumer within the municipality. 

It also would prohibit discrimination against a utility service provider based upon the source of the utility service provided to a consumer.

The bill was introduced in response to actions taken by some major U.S. cities that have enacted or proposed laws to ban or curb the use of fossil fuels in new homes and buildings.

It is now pending action in the Senate.

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Original Source: https://www.northcentralpa.com/politics/house-bill-blocks-municipalities-from-control-over-home-energy-sources/article_03e57c50-85d1-11ec-946e-cb41fdc8b9ba.html