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| Capitol Report |
#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unattended account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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South Creek Road Bridge is Open
I am happy to announce that South Creek Road Bridge is open, and it is beautiful! I hosted the men and women who built the bridge, PennDOT officials, local leaders Senator Kane and many neighbors in the vicinity of the bridge in a small ceremony to open the bridge and thank those involved.
The South Creek Road Bridge is a major connection between Pennsbury and Chadds Ford Townships, also connecting Delaware and Chester counties. It first opened in 1925 and for a century has connected two counties, two townships, and generations of families who crossed it every day.
The new bridge stands in the same place, but it is a major improvement. PennDOT replaced the old 27-foot-wide, six-span steel bridge with a reinforced concrete arch structure that is wider and built to modern standards. The project also includes an open steel railing with concrete pilasters that provides a scenic view of the Brandywine River, along with recessed panels, new signage, plaques, and delineators.
Construction crews worked through difficult weather, including heavy rains and seasonal storms, which created repeated delays. Their persistence over a year and a half delivered a strong and durable crossing that will serve our communities for decades.
The bridge reopened to traffic Friday, November 14. PennDOT will continue limited single-lane closures through late 2025 to finish final construction activities.
I want to thank PennDOT, Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc., Chadds Ford Supervisors Timotha Trigg and Kathleen Goodier, Pennsbury Supervisors Wendell Fenton, Aaron McIntyre and Kay Ellsworth, Senator Kane, and the workers on site who carried this project from start to finish. I also want to thank the Draper Family, who hosted a wonderful celebration for the crews once their hard work was complete. Their work preserved a key connection for residents in Chester and Delaware Counties and improved safety for everyone who travels this corridor.
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Energy Policy: Pennsylvania’s Economic Opportunity!
As I have previously written, I sit on national boards and committees which are addressing the need for more electricity generation, brought on in part by the emergence of big data centers. This week, I met with my Electric Supply Task Force (ESTF) of the National Conference on State Legislatures in Washington, D.C. and also with my Executive Committee of the National Council on Electricity Policy. The conversations are all the same: how are we going to build more electricity generation; how are we going to safeguard ratepayers from cost impacts; and how will we address reliability with ever-increasing competition for electricity resources?
I hope you find this part comforting. All of my discussions with national experts and advocates (they are not the same thing) are largely repeating what I have been writing to you. So, you are getting real-time insights into the policy debate.
Over the last few weeks, we have discussed the growing imbalance between electricity supply and electricity demand. That imbalance has already driven capacity prices higher, which is why your electric bills reflect rising costs. In Pennsylvania, we resolved one major policy barrier when we ended our participation in RGGI. That decision removed a tax risk that stood as a black cloud over new generation in our state for years. Today, I want to explain the next major challenge and the major opportunity attached to it.
Again, we are in a period of enormous, expected demand for electricity. Contrary to what our instincts might tell us about electricity growth over the years, demand has actually been very flat for decades. That flat growth is primarily what allowed us to grow load very little and replace small quantities of our load with renewables. But now, every online retail transaction, medical record system, streaming service, school platform, financial network, and government database (including NASA) runs through data centers. The largest companies in the world are building them at a pace that has already outstripped the available power supply in several states. Pennsylvania now stands at the center of that national conversation, perfectly poised to take full economic advantage.
If done correctly, that economic benefit would be reflected in your electric (and perhaps gas) bill. That has become my policy mission on your behalf in all of these venues.
Unlike many other states in our regional power market, Pennsylvania has the natural resources to support new generation. We have the workforce, the geographic advantage, and the industrial infrastructure to compete for the next decade (or more) of electric generation investment. That investment brings long-term jobs, tax revenue, construction contracts, and billions of dollars in private capital. It also helps stabilize electricity costs for consumers when it results in new generation built here rather than elsewhere.
The challenge is simple. Data centers and electrification require massive, uninterrupted power. If Pennsylvania does not build new power plants fast enough, companies will compete with us – the consumer – for limited electricity supply. That scenario pushes residential and small business bills higher.
The only responsible solution is to increase supply. If we do not build it, someone else will. That is an inescapable conclusion. As I pointed out in one of my meetings, those barking loudest about data centers go home and watch streaming TV or doom scroll social media – data-heavy consumer conveniences. The choice is not about curtailing data. The choice is whether data centers move to China using coal-fired electricity generation plants or do we build out the infrastructure here at home.
If we position ourselves correctly, Pennsylvania may capture a corner on the electricity generation market. We are already one of the largest electricity exporting states in the country. We are the behemoth in our regional grid. (I will write later about what I have learned about Wyoming and how they are driving their data center market.) New generation lowers the pressure on the capacity market. Lower capacity pressure translates directly to lower long-term costs for families. Put simply, when we build more power, consumers benefit – we all benefit.
I will write next week about what neighboring states, who are energy poor, are contemplating. We have a chance to do it better because of our electricity production.
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New Law to Help Veterans, Students
Pennsylvania schools continue to face a shortage of qualified teachers, especially in career and technical education (CTE) programs. Act 41 of 2025 addresses that need by creating a clear pathway for veterans to become certified educators in their areas of expertise.
The new law requires the Department of Education to issue a CTE Intern or CTE Instructional I Certificate to any veteran who has completed at least 8,000 hours of service in the occupational field they intend to teach. This recognizes the depth of knowledge and experience that military service members bring to technical subjects such as mechanics, engineering, information technology, and logistics.
By connecting veterans with classroom opportunities, Act 41 strengthens both education and workforce development. Students gain instructors with real-world experience, and veterans gain a new avenue for public service that continues their commitment to country and community.
The law will take effect in late December.
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Hunters Can Share Their Harvest
The state Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Game Commission are again encouraging hunters to consider sharing their deer harvest to provide thousands of pounds of venison to people in need.
Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) is Pennsylvania’s venison donation program for hunters who share their extra venison via a statewide network of participating meat processors to food pantries and community assistance centers across the Commonwealth. One deer provides about 200 servings of high-protein, low-fat venison.
HSH has distributed 3 million pounds of donated venison since 1991. More information about the program and how to participate is available at sharedeer.org.
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Holiday Traffic Safety
Operation Safe Holiday began on November 10 with the Thanksgiving “Click It or Ticket” enforcement period and will continue through November 30. Pennsylvania law requires all passengers under 18 to wear seat belts. Drivers and front-seat passengers must also buckle up. Children under two must ride in a rear-facing car seat, children under four must ride in an approved child safety seat, and children must use a booster seat until age eight.
PennDOT’s 2024 data show the serious risks during Thanksgiving travel. Between Wednesday, November 27, and Monday, December 2 of last year, the Philadelphia region recorded 431 crashes and seven fatalities. Impaired driving contributed to 38 of those crashes and three of the fatalities. Alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs affect coordination, judgment, and reaction time.
Law enforcement agencies began sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols, and traffic safety enforcement and will continue to operate them through the New Year’s holiday as part of Operation Safe Holiday.
For more information on PennDOT's highway safety efforts, visit PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.
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Around the District
Concord Township Thefts
The Pennsylvania State Police notified Concord Township about recent thefts from vehicles on Dain Avenue near the state line. Concord Township and the Pennsylvania State Police remind residents to keep valuables out of sight and to lock vehicle doors. Residents should report any suspicious activity immediately to the Pennsylvania State Police Media Barracks by calling 911.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Tree Removal to Close West Pleasant Grove Road on Saturday
West Pleasant Grove Road will be closed on Saturday, November 22, for necessary tree removal work. Tree removal near high-voltage electric lines requires a full road closure to protect workers and motorists.
The closure will run from Orvis Way to just east of Hidden Pond Way between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Advance warning signs will be posted at Route 202 and South New Street to help drivers plan alternate routes.
Unionville Art Gallery
Unionville High School will host its art gallery on Friday, November 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, November 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Photo Credit: Unionville Art Gala Website
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Bravo Zulu
*The BZ pennants are hoisted as a part of Navy/Marine Corps custom to communicate “GOOD JOB!”
West Chester Area School District Athletic Leadership Conference
Student-athletes from all three West Chester Area School District high schools came together for this year’s Athletic Leadership Conference. They spent the day in workshops and activities that challenged them to lead with integrity, confidence, and purpose. Guest speakers shared their own experiences and offered practical guidance on what strong leadership requires both on the field and in life.
Photo Credit: Facebook
West Chester Area School District Philanthropy
WCASD Students Support Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
West Chester Area School District students and staff began Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week with practical efforts to support local families. Schools across the district organized food collections, donation drives, and classroom activities that helped students understand the challenges many neighbors face.
At Henderson High School, students gathered food donations and made red ribbons to wear throughout the week. Hillsdale’s student ambassadors led a schoolwide food drive. Greystone students created artwork tied to the book Maddie’s Fridge to start age-appropriate conversations about food insecurity and community responsibility.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Garnet Valley Students Serve in Simulated Youth Government
GVHS students Catherine Colliton, Paige Carmichael, and Ovia Gopinath earned election to the YMCA Youth and Government program. They will serve as legislators, lawyers, and judges during a four-day simulation of state government. Congratulations to each student for stepping into these leadership roles.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Garnet Valley Model UN Earns Top Honors
Garnet Valley High School’s Model United Nations team delivered another strong performance at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Model UN Conference. Naga Pagidela, Zander Sereni, and Kimi Lin earned Best Delegate awards for their work. Congratulations to each student on this achievement.
Photo Credit: Instagram
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: |
| One Beaver Valley Road | (intersection of Route 202 & Naamans Creek Road) Chadds Ford, PA 19317-9012 | Phone (610) 358-5925 | FAX: 610-358-5933 |
| Capitol Office: |
| 3 East Wing, P.O. Box 202160, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2160 | Phone: 717-783-3038 | FAX: 717-787-7604 |
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