As part of the agreement with Pa. environmental regulators, Sunoco will be allowed to restart construction near Marsh Creek Lake State Park in Chester County.

The bill, spearheaded by gas industry lobbyists and sponsored by state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), would block municipalities from limiting fossil fuel use and promoting electrification.

“…in my lane is the transmission grid, and making sure we are upgrading that in the face of extreme weather events,” said Jennifer Granholm, U.S. energy secretary.

The company has already paid more than $20 million in fines for more than 120 violations of the state’s Clean Streams Law. That same law is the basis for the criminal charges announced Tuesday.

The company said the lack of needed permits from New Jersey made it determine that “further development of the Project no longer is supported.”

The wind farms would occupy some of the most fertile fishing grounds in the nation, prompting a growing battle between fisheries and wind power.

Gov. Wolf needs to appoint two new commissioners this fall to fill vacancies on the five-member board, but faces pushback in the state Senate, which opposes Pa.’s plans to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

At the request of the Department of Environmental Protection, Sunoco stopped construction on a section of the line near Valley Creek and the Chester County library.

Opponents feared more air pollution and criticized reliance on fossil fuels amid the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The city says it did what it was supposed to do.