Filed under local-governance.

The Permit You Can Now Block

Pennsylvania's Executive Order 2026-05 restructures permit sequencing: state environmental review now waits on local zoning approval, turning a township planning commission vote into a genuine gate rather than a formality. The shift arrives as utilities sought $18.6 billion in rate increases in the first half of 2026 alone and active opposition groups doubled to 833 across 49 states. This piece examines what the order actually changes — and why sequence is the mechanism that matters.