A new cabinet position and a commonwealth agency focused on energy production and coordination are on the agenda for state business leaders who want to expand Pennsylvania’s gas economy.

In a report released Thursday entitled “Forge the Future: Ideas for Actions,” industry leaders said that the state’s potential in gas economic growth – totaling $60 billion between production, energy generation and manufacturing - is threatened by poor business conditions in the state, from the nation high 9.99 corporate net income tax to slow permitting.

As the 40th anniversary of the Three Mile Island meltdown approaches, local activists are launching a campaign against nuclear power in the state. Their effort opened Tuesday by questioning how to dispose of the industry’s waste.

“We still have five nuclear power plants, nine reactors and no nuclear toilet,” longtime activist Eric Epstein said.

The conversation comes as federal politicians try to restart a national conversation on where to put America’s nuclear waste, and state nuclear allies prepare to make the case that without aid, the industry could go bust in Pennsylvania.

A controversial Senate bill that civil rights advocates fear would unnecessarily punish pipeline protesters was toned down in committee Tuesday morning.

SB 652 from Sen. Mike Regan (R-Cumberland) would have created special criminal trespass charges for incidents on "critical infrastructure projects, including near existing or under construction pipelines.

In their fourth hearing, the bicameral, bipartisan Nuclear Caucus heard from current and former federal officials who pushed the role that splitting an atom still held for America’s national security even if it is losing out in the market.

“If things turn bad in the South China Sea, we need to make sure our ports in San Diego and Long Beach have electricity so they can ship ammunition overseas,” said Paul Stockton, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs.

Citing a drilling slowdown amid continued fixed costs, the state Department of Environmental Protection proposed increasing the cost of unconventional gas well permits by 150 percent, to the cries of the industry and legislative allies.

Set in 2014, the permit for the unconventional natural gas wells used in fracking currently costs $5,000. However, under the proposed increase, the permit’s cost would increase to $12,500 — which industry allies claim would be the highest in the country.