By Jeff Kupfer

Pennsylvania has long played a central role in powering America. Today, the Commonwealth stands ready to lead once again—this time by helping to shape the future of clean hydrogen, a critical technology for delivering a cleaner, more sustainable future.

But that opportunity is now at risk. The recently passed House tax bill threatens to derail progress by abruptly phasing out many clean energy technology credits – including the Section 45V tax credit for clean hydrogen. Along with other credits, 45V has helped attract private investment, fuel innovation, and lay the groundwork for cutting-edge research and manufacturing jobs.

These tax incentives are building blocks for achieving American energy dominance and keeping energy affordable and reliable.

The House bill terminates Section 45V at the end of 2025 – eight years earlier than originally planned. Such a quick end to the incentive would not only slow progress toward a more diversified energy future but would also risk ceding ground to overseas rivals at a time when the country needs to be competitive and forward-looking.

This especially matters to Pennsylvania, which is uniquely positioned to benefit from 45V.

Energy workers already make up 4.6 percent of the state’s workforce, and the Commonwealth was the only state to secure two of the seven federally funded hydrogen hub contracts. The planned eastern Pennsylvania hydrogen hub – the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) – aims to create and retain more than 20,000 well-paying jobs, including union jobs, and to generate a new talent pipeline in this emerging energy sector.

Hydrogen stands out as a commonsense, bipartisan solution. It’s a versatile energy source with near-zero emissions.

By pairing Pennsylvania’s abundant natural gas resources with growing carbon capture technology investments, the state can be at the forefront of developing what has been labeled “blue hydrogen.” That product will reduce emissions in heavy industrial sectors while also spurring economic growth. It’s a win-win.

This isn’t just speculation. According to a report from Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), an estimated 9.8 million metric tons per year of blue hydrogen capacity is in development across the United States. To highlight the scale, that amount of hydrogen – if used solely for electricity production – could power over 18 million homes. CRES calculates that the economic activity associated with blue hydrogen would generate billions in federal, state, and local tax revenue and over $12 billion in annual GDP.

Hydrogen projects can be a real differentiator, offering economic opportunities and income security for thousands of families in states like Pennsylvania. While reports that the administration could seek to cut down the number of hubs may put some projects at risk, preserving the Section 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit ensures that these regional centers of innovation, and their host states won’t lose momentum.

Realizing the potential of hydrogen will require upfront investments. Cutting the 45V prematurely removes the certainty businesses need to make these long-term bets. This is especially important because the global race on hydrogen is already in full swing.

China is currently the world’s leading hydrogen producer and is building an early lead in “green hydrogen” technologies. Russia and Saudi Arabia have also made key hydrogen commitments. If Congress rolls back support for clean hydrogen, we risk ceding our competitive edge.

The House officially named its tax package “The One Big Beautiful Bill.” There are many worthy provisions in that legislation, but the treatment of 45V and other clean energy tax credits is not one of them. As the Senate takes up the measure, let’s hope that our leaders recognize what’s at stake – and acts before the opportunity slips away.

Jeff Kupfer is a former acting deputy secretary of energy in the George W. Bush administration, is the president of ConservAmerica and an adjunct professor of policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.

A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump‘s administration to pause across-the-board cuts to AmeriCorps in response to a lawsuit filed by 24 states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

The federal community service program that oversees thousands of volunteers was targeted in mid-April by the Department of Government Efficiency, which terminated grants and placed 85% of the agency’s employees on administrative leave, with layoffs set to take effect later this month.

Judge Deborah L. Boardman, who was nominated to the Maryland district bench in 2021 by then-President Joe Biden, issued an order Thursday preventing the Trump administration from “effectuating and enforcing” the cuts in the states represented by the lawsuit. Boardman also ordered that programs already impacted should be restored, grants reinstated, and AmeriCorps members returned to service, “if they are willing and able to return.”

The judge denied the Democratic-led states’ request to reverse the placement of AmeriCorps employees on administrative leave, or prevent the reduction in force for the agency’s staff.

“We just won in court again against the Trump Administration — this time to stop their unlawful decision to cut AmeriCorps programs that help communities respond to natural disasters, support seniors and veterans, and keep our trails clean across Pennsylvania,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a post on X Thursday.

Boardman explained her ruling in an 86-page opinion, stating that the cuts were not done properly.

“Before AmeriCorps could make any significant changes to service delivery, it first had to engage in notice-and-comment rulemaking,“ Boardman wrote. ”It did not.”

The opinion cites a few Pennsylvania programs, including one that supports veterans in Butler County, as examples of the impact AmeriCorps cuts could have on communities. The complaint argued that AmeriCorps members and volunteers have built trust that cannot be easily replaced.

“The abrupt exiting of members and erosion of trust built between service programs and the community will have a detrimental impact on these programs absent immediate injunctive relief,” Boardman said.

AmeriCorps did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit, filed against AmeriCorps in late April, accused the Trump administration of efforts to “dismantle” the agency, and contended that the president does not have the constitutional authority to do so because AmeriCorps was established by an act of Congress.

Shapiro, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings are listed as plaintiffs, along with officials from 21 other states.

The Trump administration argued in court filings that its actions did not trigger the requirements for a comment period according to the law and that the cuts wouldn’t cause irreparable harm, the legal bar required for an injunction before a case is fully litigated.

“Plaintiffs offer no concrete basis upon which to conclude that such dire consequences would obtain during the next couple of weeks,” the government said.

» READ MORE: DOGE’s sweeping AmeriCorps cuts leave Philly volunteer programs unsure if they will get promised funding

AmeriCorps was created in 1993 during President Bill Clinton’s administration as a domestic version of the Peace Corps. It has since supported projects throughout the nation.

Penn Serve — Pennsylvania’s designated state service commission for AmeriCorps — received nearly $18 million in federal grants for the year starting July 2024 to administer 28 programs, the lawsuit said.

New Jersey had $6 million in federal AmeriCorps grants terminated during DOGE’s purge, according to the statement from the state’s office of the attorney general. These cuts have affected a food pantry and homeless shelter, as well as addiction recovery and disaster-preparedness programs.

Delaware received nearly $1.5 million in federal grants to support 1,322 AmeriCorps volunteers for the 2024 fiscal year, according to the complaint. It has since lost more than $1 million of that funding.

Staff writer Beatrice Forman contributed to this article.

When someone calls 911, they expect an ambulance to arrive quickly. But across Pennsylvania, that expectation is increasingly at risk as more emergency medical services agencies shut down due to financial strain.

According to Plum EMS Director of Operations Brian Maloney, every time an ambulance responds to a call, it costs the agency about $850 just to get out the door.

“Over the past 20 years, we’ve been in crisis,” Maloney said, “but now we are literally falling apart.”

The problem isn’t just the high cost, it’s the lack of reimbursement. In some cases, with commercial insurance companies, they will send payment directly to the patient instead of the EMS provider, and that money doesn’t always make it back to the agency.

“In my community, 38 percent of those checks were kept by the patient,” Maloney said. “In three years, Plum EMS, which is a small organization, lost a quarter of a million dollars.”

Pennsylvania has lost 52 EMS agencies in just the last two years. The risk for more is always there.

State Rep. Jill Cooper, R-Westmoreland County, is leading a bipartisan effort to change that. Her proposal, House Bill 1152, would require commercial insurance companies to directly reimburse EMS agencies for 911 calls they respond to.

“I feel an obligation to the seniors and people in my district,” Cooper said. “When they call and expect an ambulance in 8 to 10 minutes, they should get one, in order to save their life.”

EMS services in Pennsylvania do not receive tax dollars for operations, so timely reimbursement is vital. Maloney told Channel 11 that no agency wants to have to go after a patient to get a bill paid.

Supporters of the bill said it would only increase insurance premiums by around $10 but could make a major difference in keeping EMS agencies open.

“It’s causing EMS companies to go out of business,” Maloney said. “Just getting an ambulance ready to go costs money, and they’re losing it every time they respond. This bill is one step toward solving that problem.”

House Bill 1152 has nearly 50 cosponsors and is currently in committee, awaiting a vote.

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