April 17, 2025
Scranton, PA – April 16, 2025 – Lackawanna County has received a $90,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through Governor Josh Shapiro’s Strategic Management Planning Program. The funding will support Phase 2 of a project focused on improving the county’s financial oversight and long-term planning.
With these funds, the county will bring in financial professionals to help guide and strengthen its fiscal management practices. The goal is to ensure public resources are managed responsibly and effectively while laying the groundwork for smarter, more sustainable growth.
“This is great news for our community,” said Senator Flynn. “Strong financial planning often happens behind the scenes, but it plays a critical role in how well local government can serve its residence. I’m proud to support this investment in Lackawanna County, and I’m confident it will help us build a more stable and sustainable future.”
This grant is part of a continued effort to support county governments across the Commonwealth in modernizing operations, improving transparency, and ensuring financial stability for years to come. Lackawanna County’s participation in this program highlights its commitment to strong, accountable governance that works for the people.
The project will move forward once all contract documents are finalized and the grant requirements are met.
For more information on the Strategic Management Planning Program, visit PA Department of Community & Economic Development.
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April 11, 2025
Scranton, PA – April 11, 2025 – This week, State Senator Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne) announced that Scranton has been awarded $403,806 in state funding through Governor Josh Shapiro’s Main Street Matters initiative, which aims to revitalize downtowns and strengthen local economies across Pennsylvania.
This significant investment will support the reimagination and redevelopment of Clover Field Park, enhancing recreational spaces and community well-being for families throughout Lackawanna County.
“Investments like these directly benefit our neighborhoods, helping to transform public spaces into vibrant community assets,” said Senator Flynn. “I’m proud to support Governor Shapiro’s commitment to revitalizing our main streets and parks. As someone who grew up playing football at Clover Field with the West Side Jets in junior high, this project is especially meaningful to me. Clover Field Park holds great potential for our residents, and I look forward to seeing this project come to life.”
Main Street Matters is a $20 million program launched by the Shapiro Administration and administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). It builds on the successful Keystone Communities Program and supports infrastructure upgrades, building improvements, affordable housing, and small business growth. The program funded 81 projects statewide, chosen from over 200 applications.
“This is about setting a standard for how we invest in our communities,” Flynn added. “We’re not just upgrading a park; we’re making long-term investments in Scranton’s future. Clover Field Park has the potential to become a place where families gather, children play, and neighbors connect. That’s the kind of progress our community deserves.”
Over the past year, Senator Flynn has collaborated with local officials, business owners, and constituents to advocate for targeted funding that meets the real needs of Lackawanna County. This award reflects that shared effort and vision.
This funding aligns with Governor Shapiro’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy, which focuses on long-term investments that grow jobs, increase affordability, and foster inclusive economic growth.
For more information about the Main Street Matters initiative and a full list of funded projects, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.
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March 31, 2025
HARRISBURG, PA − March 31, 2025 − Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Nick Miller held a hearing to explore strategies for mitigating the impact of energy costs on residents along with legislative solutions aimed at delivering reliable, affordable energy for both now and in the future.
“Energy affordability is crucial for the economic stability of families and small businesses. High costs strain household budgets and have a broader impact on local economies,” said Senator Miller. “We must find solutions to address generation, regulations, and innovative solutions for the future of energy in Pennsylvania.”
“Energy affordability remains a pressing concern for Pennsylvanian families. While Pennsylvania’s energy resources help keep costs relatively competitive, many households and industries still struggle with rising energy prices,” said Senator Marty Flynn. “Factors like infrastructure, market volatility, and federal regulations all impact affordability, making it crucial that we continue to pursue balanced energy policies that support both economic growth and consumer protection.”
“As Pennsylvania’s electricity landscape continues to evolve, the PUC remains focused on ensuring resource adequacy through continued engagement with PJM, utilities, and stakeholders to address emerging grid reliability challenges; fostering a competitive electricity market that provides affordable and transparent options for consumers; and enforcing strict supplier oversight to ensure that Pennsylvanians are protected from deceptive marketing and unfair business practices,” said Stephen DeFrank, PUC Chairman.
Adam Walters, the Senior Energy Advisor of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, emphasized the importance of state intervention. He explained that Governor Shapiro’s Lightning Plan aims to meet energy demands while incorporating more clean power generation resources into the grid across the Commonwealth.
“Each of these pieces of the Lightning Plan seeks, in multiple ways, to address the fundamental challenge I noted at the outset – the power market is not generating optimal outcomes for Pennsylvanians,” Adam Walters said. “A failure to act now will jeopardize Pennsylvania consumers through runaway costs on their utility bills and put us in a competitively disadvantaged position for attracting new businesses. Luckily, we currently have a unique opportunity to play a key role in bringing stability.”
“Before the OSBA establishment in 1998, small businesses lacked representation in PUC matters,” said NazAarah Sabree, Pennsylvania’s Small Business Advocate. “While residential and low-income consumers had dedicated advocates and large commercial industrial consumers had private legal representation – small business were left without a voice resulting in a disproportionate share of rate increases.”
“Pennsylvania and the wider region will need to build new reliable sources of generation to keep costs down,” said Robert Routh of Pennsylvania Climate & Energy – National Resources Defense Council. “Adam walked through the six bills in Governor Shapiro’s Lightning Plan, and as we wait for the official text for each of those bills to dive into the details. Based on the concepts that we have heard and the deep understanding of the problems that this legislative packaged is designed to solve – we are highly encouraged and eager to see the texts.”
“Diversifying our grid with clean energy and modern transmission is essential to achieving lower costs—and Pennsylvania is behind much of the country in this regard,” said Chris D’Agostino of Advanced Energy United. “For instance, states like Texas, where 30% of electricity comes from renewables, compared to less than 5% in Pennsylvania, enjoy lower average electricity rates. Clean energy and affordability go hand in hand.”
“Pennsylvania could also find ways to encourage technologies that make the heating and cooling process itself more energy efficient,” said Seth Blumsack of Center for Energy Law and Policy, Penn State University. “Clean and efficient thermal energy technologies such as geothermal heating and cooling have broad potential in Pennsylvania and are reflected in some aspects of Governor Shapiro’s lightning plan.”
The panelists for today’s hearing included:
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Stephen DeFrank, Chairman, Pennsylvania Utility Commission
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Adam Walters, Senior Energy Advisor, PA Department of Community and Economic Development
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NazAarah Sabree, Small Business Advocate, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Small Business Advocate
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Robert Routh, Policy Director, Pennsylvania Climate & Energy, National Resources Defense Council
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Chris D’Agostino, Pennsylvania Policy Principal, Advanced Energy United
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Seth Blumsack, Director, Center for Energy Law and Policy, Penn State University
Senator Nick Miller was elected Policy Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in December 2024. Today’s hearing was his third as Chair.
Footage of the hearing, as well as the written testimony of the panel, is available at PASenatorMiller.com/Policy. Photographs and downloadable video are available upon request.
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Testimony
Panel 1 – An Overview of Our Energy Outlook and Regulatory Oversight
Panel 2 – The Administration’s Lightning Plan and Consumer/Small Business Education
- NazAarah Sabree, Small Business Advocate, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Small Business Advocate
Panel 3 – Innovative Energy Solutions
March 28, 2025
HARRISBURG, PA – March 28, 2025 − On Monday, March 31, 2025, at 10:30 AM, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee will convene a public hearing on Consumer and Small Business Energy Affordability at Hearing Room #1 in the North Office Building, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.
Chaired by Senator Nick Miller with Senator Marty Flynn serving as co-chair, the hearing will build on the discussions from January’s policy event. It will focus on energy affordability for Pennsylvania residents and small businesses, the future of innovation in the energy sector, and the economic impact of recent energy proposals, including Governor Josh Shapiro’s six-point “Lightning Plan.”
The “Lightning Plan” proposes bold steps to modernize Pennsylvania’s energy economy, including streamlined permitting, increased energy efficiency rebates, and major investments in clean and reliable power sources. The plan is projected to create nearly 15,000 jobs, save Pennsylvanians $664 million in energy costs by 2040, and generate more than $11 billion in energy investment statewide.
The hearing will also include expert testimony on new legislation aligned with the plan, such as the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER), the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS), and the proposal to establish the RESET Board to accelerate energy project approvals.
Public Access:
The hearing will be livestreamed at PaSenatorMiller.com/Policy.
This critical policy discussion comes at a time when Pennsylvania faces shifting energy demands, increased electricity use by data centers, and growing needs for energy storage and affordability for consumers.
February 24, 2025
SCRANTON, PA − February 24, 2025 − Today, Senator Marty Flynn, in conjunction with the State Representatives, announces $2,905,297 in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grant money benefiting the 22nd senatorial district.
Per the Department of Community and Economic Development, “The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth. Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development.”
“Investing in our communities through CFA grants means safer streets, stronger bridges, and improved roadways for everyone,” said Senator Flynn. “These critical upgrades enhance pedestrian safety and help ensure our community members reach their destinations safely.”
The awards are as followed:
- Avoca Borough was awarded $405,136 from the Multimodal Transportation Funds to make pedestrian safety upgrades to sections of McAlpine Street located in Avoca Borough, Luzerne County.
- City of Scranton was awarded $350,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for the replacement of the South Webster Avenue Bridge located in Scranton City, Lackawanna County.
- City of Wilkes-Barre was awarded $200,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for streetscape improvements along North Main Street located in Wilkes-Barre City, Luzerne County.
- Clarks Green Borough was awarded $350,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for roadway improvements along seven roadways in Clarks Green Borough, Lackawanna County.
- Dickson City Borough was awarded $350,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund on behalf of Lackawanna Executive Park Dickson, LLC for roadway safety improvements to the Main Street and Viewmont Drive intersection in Dickson City Borough, Lackawanna County.
- Dickson City Borough was awarded $400,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for Phase V of the streetscape Boulevard Avenue and crosswalk installation project in Dickson City Borough, Lackawanna.
- Dunmore Borough was awarded $184,589 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund to install sidewalks along one block of Drinker Street located in Dunmore Borough, Lackawanna County.
- Jenkins Township was awarded $265,572 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for roadway repairs to Chestnut and Walnut Streets in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County.
- Pittston Township was awarded $400,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund to make pavement improvements to multiple roadways located in Pittston Township, Luzerne County.
Learn more about the Multimodal Transportation Fund here.
Learn more about the Pennsylvania Senate Democrats’ commitment to every Pennsylvanian here.
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February 13, 2025
HARRISBURG, PA – February 13, 2025 – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro announced a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional freeze on $1.2 billion in federal funds appropriated by Congress to Pennsylvania, along with an additional $900 million requiring an undefined review by federal agencies.
The Governor’s lawsuit aims to restore critical funding for Pennsylvania agencies that provide essential services such as LIHEAP assistance, energy and clean water infrastructure, and plugging orphan wells—programs that directly benefit the people of the commonwealth.
In strong support of this legal action, Senator Flynn released the following statement:
“I fully support Governor Shapiro’s decision to take this matter to court and challenge the unconstitutional freeze on federal funds that rightfully belong to Pennsylvania. The people of our commonwealth rely on these essential services to keep their homes warm, their water clean, and their communities thriving. This blatant overreach by the federal administration is not only unlawful but also a direct threat to the well-being of Pennsylvania families.
“My constituents are deeply concerned about the sudden uncertainty surrounding critical programs that support working families, seniors, and vulnerable individuals. We cannot allow partisan politics in Washington to jeopardize the fundamental needs of our residents.
“I commend Governor Shapiro for standing up to this injustice and for fighting to ensure that Pennsylvania receives the federal resources it was promised. His leadership is exactly what we need during this time of federal instability. I will continue working alongside my colleagues to support his efforts and advocate for the people of Pennsylvania.”
