State Sens. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, and Doug Mastriano, R-33rd, said Monday that they soon will introduce legislation to stabilize energy costs, protect against economic and international volatility in the long term, and utilize Pennsylvania’s natural resources to cement the state as an energy powerhouse.

To spur natural gas production and investment, the legislation will focus on tax incentives and opening new state lands for production.

To preserve coal-powered plants, the bill will exempt Pennsylvania plants from the EPA’s Wastewater Rule and Cross State Air Pollution Rule that was enacted during former President Barack Obama’s administration and has been revived by President Joe Biden’s administration.

Hutchinson and Mastriano said the rules are the main culprits for the planned closure of Keystone and Conemaugh plants outside of Pittsburgh. The two plants employ about 320 full-time workers and 170 contractors, and generate enough power for up to 1.5 million homes.

The bill also will establish an “Intrastate Coal/Natural Gas Use” provision to clearly state that any environmental regulation of coal and natural gas that is extracted and used in Pennsylvania can only be exclusively regulated by the state, not by the federal government.

Lastly, the PA Energy Independence Act will make significant reforms to costly regulations, expedite the permit process and immediately suspend Pennsylvania’s entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is projected to raise energy consumer costs by at least $2 billion over nine years and lead to the closure of at least five power plants within a year of entry, the senators said.

Natural gas and coal combine to account for over 60% of Pennsylvania’s electricity generation, they said.

“The terrible attack on Ukraine by Russia and its subsequent disruptions to international energy supply chains reinforces what I and many others have believed for years – that the United States, and Pennsylvania specifically, should make every effort to responsibly tap our domestic resources to reduce or eliminate our dependence on foreign energy,” Hutchinson said. “It will be difficult, but through efforts like this one we can work to reverse the dangerous and costly policies of the Biden and (Gov. Tom) Wolf administrations.”