We believe everyone should celebrate the announcement that Farmplast is opening a facility — and creating jobs — in Muncy.

Our region has potential. We can meet the challenges confronting communities up and down northeastern and mid-Atlantic states and foster the economic growth that provides quality of life to our neighborhoods.

“I think we have a lot of things going for us,” state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, noted at the announcement. “Especially a dedicated and experienced workforce.”

“With historic investments in site development, a commitment to cutting red tape and an aggressive approach to recruiting companies to locate here, our strategy is delivering real results,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement.

Our position, as we have editorialized before, is that the sort of sustaining growth that will provide quality of life requires more jobs and more housing. Farmplast’s commitment is part of that equation — and an important part.

We are reassured by our region’s lawmakers’ and the governor’s commitment to streamlining and simplifying the bureaucratic morass that has too often hampered projects. We hope to see the pace of progress on correcting such bureaucratic quagmires quicken, so that more jobs and housing can meet the needs of families

And we certainly believe the values and work ethic of the men and women who make up Lycoming County’s workforce, and the region’s workforce, will demonstrate to employers who choose to invest in our communities that they made the right decision.