PA Representative Danielle Otten banner image

Dear Neighbor,

While legislative activity is winding down in Harrisburg, important work continues both in the Capitol and here in Chester County.

One of the highlights of the week was joining Governor Shapiro and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, and Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger, at Milky Way Farm in Chester Springs for the unveiling of Pennsylvania's first-ever Strategic Plan for Agriculture.

I also submitted public comments on the Public Utility Commission’s Pennsylvania Accelerated Transmission and Energy Redevelopment (PATER) Study, a statewide effort to identify former power generation sites for redevelopment. I urged the PUC to ensure that future decisions are guided by the public interest and consider factors such as affordability, public health, environmental impacts, transparency, and protections for ratepayers and local communities.

And just a friendly reminder that my Free Paper-Only Shred Event is coming up this Saturday. These events provide residents with a secure and convenient way to dispose of sensitive documents, protect themselves from identity theft, and recycle unwanted paper responsibly. If you've been meaning to tackle that filing cabinet, desk drawer, or stack of boxes in the garage, now is the perfect time to do it!

Keep reading to learn more about how these efforts will affect our community and our commonwealth.

PA’s First-Ever Strategic Plan for Agriculture unveiled at Milky Way Farm

Pennsylvania's first-ever Strategic Plan for Agriculture was unveiled last Friday at Milky Way Farm in Chester Springs, and I can't think of a more fitting place for such an important announcement.

Recognized as a Pennsylvania Century Farm in 2025, Milky Way Farm has been operated by the Matthews family since 1902 and has roots dating back to the 1760s. Now led by the fourth generation of the Matthews family, the farm exemplifies the stewardship, resilience, and commitment that have made agriculture such an important part of Chester County and Pennsylvania's story.

One of the most important themes in the new Strategic Plan is supporting the next generation of farmers. Pennsylvania leads the nation in farmers under the age of 35, yet more than half of our agricultural producers are over 55 years old, highlighting the need for succession planning, mentorship, and new opportunities to help family farms continue thriving across generations.

Not only is agriculture Chester County's leading industry; it is also Pennsylvania's top industry and a cornerstone of our Commonwealth's economy. This strategic plan creates a roadmap for strengthening the agricultural workforce, expanding markets for Pennsylvania-grown products, investing in innovation and technology, preserving working farmland, and helping family farms remain profitable and competitive for generations to come. It reinforces Pennsylvania's commitment to ensuring agriculture remains a national leader and that the next generation of farmers has the tools and support needed to succeed.

The Matthews family has spent decades connecting our community to Pennsylvania agriculture through farm-fresh products, agritourism, and family traditions that make Chester County special. Their success demonstrates that when we invest in agriculture, we're investing not only in an industry, but in the families, communities, and traditions that help define who we are.

Thank you to the Matthews family for generations of stewardship and leadership, and thank you to Governor Shapiro, Secretary Redding, Secretary Siger and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and Department of Community and Economic Development for their commitment to strengthening agriculture across our Commonwealth.

Watch a highlight from the announcement here.

Public Comment to PUC on State Energy Redevelopment Study

This year, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate options for bringing new power online and modernizing and improving transmission grid infrastructure.

With those funds, the PUC is currently conducting the Pennsylvania Accelerated Transmission and Energy Redevelopment (PATER) Study, a statewide effort to identify retired power plant sites for potential redevelopment and opportunities to modernize our transmission grid. Given our energy affordability crisis and grid reliability challenges, I support the PUC’s efforts to assess existing grid infrastructure, generation capacity, and the potential redevelopment of decommissioned energy sites. At the same time, I believe these decisions must be guided first and foremost by the public interest and their impacts on surrounding communities and ratepayers.

Earlier this month, I submitted public comments to the PUC on the study's Phase 1 report.

The Phase 1 report acknowledges factors such as public health, environmental conditions, and community acceptance, but it treats them as potential obstacles to redevelopment rather than evaluating how future projects could affect surrounding communities. As Pennsylvania evaluates potential redevelopment sites, I believe we must consider impacts such as air emissions, water use, wastewater generation, public health, and environmental justice concerns.

I urged the PUC to incorporate the principles of House Bill 2184, my Public Interest legislation that passed the House in September with strong bipartisan support, into the study's Phase 2 evaluation process. Those principles include affordability, reliability, resilience, public health, environmental impacts, economic impacts, energy efficiency, transparency, and equitable treatment of customers. If these sites are going to help shape Pennsylvania's energy future, then decisions about which projects move forward should be evaluated through the lens of the public interest.

Additionally, I encouraged the Commission to consider who ultimately bears the costs of transmission upgrades needed to support redevelopment projects and to ensure that the needs of residential and small-business ratepayers receive at least as much consideration as the needs of large-load customers. I also called for greater transparency, local government engagement, and public participation as the study advances.

As the study moves into Phase 2, the PUC will narrow its current list of potential sites from 21 down to a list of five to seven priority sites. I will continue advocating for a process that prioritizes transparency, public engagement, and environmental and ratepayer protections. Decisions about which projects move forward must include the communities that will be affected by them for decades to come.

Voting is underway in Chester County!

Election Day is just around the corner, but voting is already underway in Chester County. Pennsylvanians have more options than ever when it comes to casting their ballot, whether that means returning your mail-in ballot to a USPS mailbox or secure mail-in ballot drop box, taking advantage of on-demand mail ballot voting, or voting in person on Election Day on November 3.

No matter how you choose to participate, now is the time to make a voting plan and familiarize yourself with important deadlines and available resources.

Any qualified voter may apply for a mail ballot and vote from the comfort of home. Once the ballot is requested, voters can track the status of their ballot through the time the completed ballot is received and their vote is recorded.

Learn more about applying for and returning a mail ballot through the Pennsylvania Department of State's Mail Ballot Information Page and the Chester County Voter Services website.

For voters who prefer to complete the process in a single visit, October 27 is the last day for on-demand mail ballot voting. On-demand voting allows eligible voters to apply for a mail ballot, receive it, complete it, and return it during the same trip to a designated election office. Additional information about the process is available through the Pennsylvania Department of State's On-Demand Mail Ballot Voting Guide and Chester County Voter Services.

Once you have completed your mail-in ballot, you may return it by mail or by using one of Chester County's secure drop-off locations. Voters should remember that Pennsylvania law only permits voters to return their own ballot, unless a voter qualifies for and completes the state's designated agent process.

For a list of Chester County ballot drop-off locations and hours of operation, visit the Chester County Voter Services website.

Important Election Dates and Deadlines

November 3 is Election Day. Here are the dates and deadlines you need to ensure that you are prepared to vote.

Last Day to Request a Mail-in or Absentee Ballot: October 27, 2026

General Election: November 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 AM – 8 PM.

Last day for county election office to receive completed mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8:00 P.M.)

Military and Overseas Absentee Ballots: November 10, 2026

Submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 P.M. on November 2