Tomorrow is Election Day for many local and state offices across the country. The people elected to local positions may not have the high profile of the men and women we send to Washington, D.C. But, often, local elections are even more important when it comes to energy issues like affordability and reliability.

• Local officials are often the gatekeepers who decide whether industrial solar and wind installations can be built in their communities. These projects frequently are placed on or around farmland and natural habitats, which can be damaged with soil erosion and sediment runoff.
• Local officials can also play a role in decisions on other energy infrastructure, like much-needed pipelines that bring energy to the Americans that need it. Lack of access to affordable energy is costly for you and your family and damages our communities. A 2020 study by the Consumer Energy Alliance found that more than 66,000 jobs and $13.6 billion in investments have been canceled or are at risk because of delayed pipeline projects.
• Recently, Washington bureaucrats have got in the game of controlling energy choices like what kind of appliances we can have in our homes. But, often, those issues start with local governments. Many cities have passed localized bans on natural gas in new building construction, while it is often state officials passing common-sense legislation to prohibit these costly bans.