In Wednesday’s edition, we addressed the contrary approaches or tones taken by our federal and state governments regarding environmental policy.

As has historically been the case, we reiterated our belief that responsible development of domestic energy sources — including natural gas and oil — is a key factor in delivering the affordable energy needed to reduce the pressure on families’ budgets and to allow enterprises — businesses, school districts, local governments and more — to devote fewer resources to their own utility bills and more resources to investing in their communities or constituents.

As important as affordable energy is — and, we must say again, it is fundamentally important — it is not the only aspect of the two approaches to the environment, regulatory oversight and bureaucratic burdens from which leaders of our country and of our communities choose.

Excessive, poorly conceived regulatory burdens hinder the construction of new homes and of new places of employment. They add other costs to operating industry and agricultural ventures — costs that again risk crowding out the needs of workers and consumers.

The Center Square’s reporting on the divergence, found in the Jan. 7 edition of the Sun-Gazette, reports on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s policy framework in ways that we can only describe as concerningly nebulous — broadly conceptualized, with hazy objectives and unclear steps to follow or comply.

We hope in the details are more practical, specific limitations and requirements rather than a vague charge that every business owner and every family must “pursue environmental justice.”

Nobody wants to see industries, farms and businesses pollute, or to engage in reckless practices without regard for the impact on communities.

But, we hope, everybody should want to see businesses employ their families and neighbors to produce or create the services they and their families and neighbors wish to buy. It’s the cornerstone of a sustainable economic climate. And it’s more achievable if the environmental prohibitions are clear — easy to follow and easy to justify.