A widening conflict in the Middle East is once again injecting instability into global energy markets. Earlier this month, attacks on infrastructure in the Gulf forced Qatar to pause operations at major LNG export facilities, tightening supply almost overnight. With tanker traffic disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route responsible for carrying roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil and a significant share of global liquefied natural gas, European gas prices surged — underscoring how vulnerable the global energy system remains to geopolitical shocks.
Yet amid the chaos, there has been one stabilizing factor: American natural gas.
Over the past decade, the United States has become the world’s largest LNG exporter. This shift has strengthened our country’s economic and strategic position and given our key allies a more reliable energy supply. That progress has been driven by American energy states that produce, process and move natural gas to global markets.
Pennsylvania sits at the center of that transformation.
Our state is the second-largest producer of natural gas in the country. The Marcellus shale reshaped domestic energy markets and helped the U.S. transition from a net energy importer to a global supplier. When disruptions hit abroad — in the Middle East or following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — American production has helped steady global markets.
The benefits are not limited to foreign policy. For Pennsylvania families and businesses, the most important questions are not about geopolitics, but economics.
Natural gas development has generated billions in investment across the commonwealth. Pennsylvania’s energy industry supports nearly half a million jobs, contributes $75 billion to our GDP and pays over $40 billion in wages every year. The industry has also delivered nearly $3 billion to communities across the state since 2012 through the impact fee.
Still, policy uncertainty and infrastructure constraints threaten to slow that progress.
Even as production in Appalachia remains strong, pipeline capacity in the Northeast remains limited. Projects have been delayed or canceled after years of regulatory review and litigation. When our infrastructure cannot keep pace with production, our markets become less efficient. As a result, customers in the Northeast have faced higher winter prices despite sitting near one of the world’s most prolific gas supplies.
If Pennsylvania wants to maintain its position as an energy leader, we must address these barriers directly.
First, policymakers should continue working to establish clear, predictable permitting processes for energy infrastructure. Projects deserve rigorous review. They also deserve timely decisions.
Pennsylvania has made important progress toward improving permitting processes. Over the past two years, the commonwealth has enacted and expanded the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program, which allows qualified third‑party professionals to assist with permit reviews and sets clearer timelines for state decisions. Recent budget actions broadened the program to cover additional air, water and infrastructure permits and established firm review deadlines for many projects. Together, these reforms are important steps to ensure that major energy and infrastructure investments receive faster, more predictable permitting decisions — while maintaining environmental protections — so projects critical to economic growth and energy security can move forward.
Second, the U.S. should continue to support responsible LNG export growth. Export capacity allows American producers to respond when global markets face disruption. It also strengthens long-term economic stability by encouraging steady domestic production.
Third, states like Pennsylvania must remain competitive. That means modern infrastructure, efficient permitting and a regulatory climate that encourages investment rather than driving it to other states.
This matters beyond the energy sector. Reliable, competitively priced natural gas supports grid stability, manufacturing expansion and emerging industries that require consistent baseload power. Data centers, advanced manufacturing and chemical production all evaluate energy reliability when making siting decisions. And in an era of growing commercial and residential electricity demand, states with stable energy policies have a major competitive advantage.
Global instability is not likely to fade. Conflict in the Middle East, continued war in Eastern Europe, and rising global demand will continue to drive volatility in energy markets. America has the capacity to buffer some of that volatility, and Pennsylvania is a major reason why.
We must continue working to develop a stable regulatory framework, modernize our infrastructure, and ensure our permitting processes are efficient and predictable. Doing so will support jobs at home, strengthen America’s strategic position abroad and leverage one of the commonwealth’s most significant competitive assets.
Luke Bernstein is the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry.
