HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett says a proposed $1.7 billion tax break for a planned petrochemical refinery could help foster a rebirth of manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

The governor made his first public comments about the tax proposal during an appearance this morning on the R.J. Harris show on WHP Talk Radio in Harrisburg.

Shell Oil Co. has tentatively picked a site in Beaver County for its refinery. The tax credits, worth as much as $66 million a year starting in 2017, would be in addition to other enticements the state is offering to seal the deal.

Corbett said the refinery is an integral part of revitalizing the state’s manufacturing base. He said plants in southeastern Pennsylvania could be retrofitted to process the ethane and also receive the benefits of the proposed tax credit.