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STATE LEGISLATORS, ADVOCATES DEMAND ACTION FROM SENATE REPUBLICANS ON SKYROCKETING GAS PRICES, ELECTRIC BILLS
STROUDSBURG, PA – Local state lawmakers and advocates gathered in Stroudsburg today to demand that state Senate Republicans take action on skyrocketing energy and gas prices.
At the Stroudsburg Municipal Lot, the press conference spotlighted how transitioning to clean energy and electric vehicles (EVs) provides immediate relief for consumer wallets, while calling on Congress and the Pennsylvania State Senate to pass key affordability legislation.
With energy prices skyrocketing, many families are feeling the strain on their wallets at home and at the pump. Excessive heat this summer and new data centers popping up across Pennsylvania are combining to push energy demand to an all-time high. Supply disruptions from the Iran War have caused gas prices in the state to soar past $4 per gallon, while a typical Pennsylvania family is paying over $500 more a year on electricity bills.
“Donald Trump’s energy policies are hitting the wallets of Pennsylvania families,” said Hanna Felber, Federal Campaign Coordinator at Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “By systematically rolling back investments in clean energy and slowing the shift to electric vehicles, his administration is keeping us dependent on fossil fuels. While billionaire oil executives are enjoying record profits, we are paying the price every time we fill up our tanks or open our utility bills. Expanding clean energy and EV infrastructure is how we break that cycle and keep real money in working families' pockets.”
The press conference location — situated beside public EV chargers — highlights a local success story. By transitioning municipal fleet operations toward electric vehicles and expanding charging access, Stroudsburg is lowering borough transportation costs, cutting gas and maintenance spending and saving money for local taxpayers.
Drivers switching to electric vehicles save an average of $800 to $1,000 annually on fuel costs compared to gas-powered vehicles, shielding drivers from global oil market spikes.
However, federal rollbacks pushed by Donald Trump and backed by the GOP-led Congress — including rolling back clean energy tax credits, gutting fuel economy standards and blocking EV infrastructure investments — are driving energy costs higher and keeping Pennsylvanians locked into volatile fossil fuel markets. While Pennsylvania House Democrats have stepped up by passing proactive legislation to expand clean energy and lower utility costs, the state Senate, controlled by Republicans, has failed to act.
“The transition to electric vehicles and clean energy isn't just about environmental stewardship — it's about lowering costs for struggling Pennsylvanians,” said state Rep. Tarah Probst (D-Monroe). “Stroudsburg is demonstrating how we can save money by investing in EV infrastructure and transitioning its municipal fleet to lower fuel costs. But local communities can’t carry this load alone. We need our federal and state leaders to support, not sabotage, clean energy solutions that lower the cost of living.”
“Pennsylvanians are being squeezed at every turn, yet out-of-touch politicians in the Senate continue to block the clean energy tools that bring costs down,” said state Rep. Maureen Madden (D-Monroe). “House Democrats have delivered by passing legislation to expand cheaper, cleaner power and reduce grid pressures. But Republican leadership in the state Senate is dragging its feet while families suffer. The Senate needs to recognize this affordability crisis and pass these cost-saving measures immediately.”
In recent months, House Democrats have passed legislation that would help protect working families from the impacts of data centers, jumpstarted the production of locally produced clean energy to lower prices and expand access to EV charging stations. But all of these proposals have languished in the Senate — even as failed federal policies continue to drive costs higher.
“Every delay on clean energy is a decision to let working families suffer from price volatility,” said Kristin Volchansky, Advocacy Director at Action Together NEPA. “Trump’s crusade against EVs and clean energy incentives is an attack on affordable living in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We are standing together to demand that Harrisburg and Washington prioritize consumer savings over corporate fossil fuel profits.”