Post by melody on May 7, 2014 16:59:43 GMT -5
COALITION RALLIES FOR PENNSYLVANIA JOBS
By Matt Hess, PLS
5/6/14
Hundreds of people from across Pennsylvania gathered today on the steps of the Capitol for the “Pennsylvania Jobs, Pennsylvania Energy” rally organized by United Shale Advocates.
Gene Barr, President of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, served as emcee for the event and highlighted how natural gas has strengthened the Pennsylvania’s economy. “We need to move this industry forward for what we know we have, for what opportunities that we have,” he stated. “As a native Pennsylvanian, this is truly important.”
Brian Smith, a farmer in Wayne County, spoke in support of natural gas industry and highlighted the benefits it has provided to farmers. “Wayne County is right against the Delaware River. In the 1970’s we had over 1,000 dairy farms. In the 1980’s we were down to 600. Currently we are down to 65 farms. When we started leasing our land to natural gas development we stopped losing our farms,” he stated. “Let’s make this the next step in an industrial evolution. This won’t last forever but it will get us to the next step beyond that but it will provide a future for our youngsters and provide a future for our families. It will keep those family farms farming.”
Les Houck, Salisbury Township Supervisor in Lancaster County, discussed how the natural gas industry has benefited all of Pennsylvania. “Local governments and the energy industry have been true partners,” he stated. “More than $600 million in impact fees have been distributed inside and outside the Marcellus Shale region since 2012 and that funding has been a game changer for the municipalities. Like the impact fee itself, natural gas drilling has brought the good. Good jobs, higher wages, and business growth.”
Paula Jackson, President and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, spoke about the benefits of the energy industry. “Energy allows us to have lower heating bills. Energy allows us to start small businesses. Energy allows us to show our children that there are opportunities in their career if they want to have four year degree, a Masters, a PhD, if they want to work with their hands, if they want to be a welder, a pipefitter. Energy does that,” she stated. “We have to go back and talk to the tens of thousands who are not here today so they get it, so they know that energy provides an opportunity for them. For some to take them out of poverty, for some to live whatever that American dream is, for some to provide for their children in a way they never thought they could, for some to be innovators so they can develop the next great opportunity. Energy does that. Energy is opportunity.”
Scott Roy, Chairman of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, highlighted the benefits of energy development. “Far too often we are confronted with that false choice: either we develop energy sources here domestically, we create economic opportunity or we protect the environment...as you all know and live on a daily basis that shale production is not an either/or proposition. We can, we must and we are doing both,” he stated. “Air quality across the commonwealth is steadily improving. CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions are at 20-year lows thanks in large part in what we’re doing here in Pennsylvania every day. Communities that have struggled for years are beginning to see a very bright light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel. Job creation, made possible by the sort of investments being made here in Pennsylvania, is occurring in every corner of the Commonwealth and it will continue for decades. Tax revenue generated by this industry is in the neighborhood of hundreds of millions [of dollars] annually and we have the ability now to loosen our dependency on foreign sources of energy.”
Roy concluded by thanking the crowd for attending the event. “Today’s event is nothing short than monumental and the start of something larger than any one of us individually. A movement is underway and you are playing a critical role in those efforts. The work that you do every day is changing the lives of all Pennsylvanians in a very positive way.” he stated. “By working together we can show our state, the nation and the world that Pennsylvania is the keystone to a brighter future for everyone.”
By Matt Hess, PLS
5/6/14
Hundreds of people from across Pennsylvania gathered today on the steps of the Capitol for the “Pennsylvania Jobs, Pennsylvania Energy” rally organized by United Shale Advocates.
Gene Barr, President of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, served as emcee for the event and highlighted how natural gas has strengthened the Pennsylvania’s economy. “We need to move this industry forward for what we know we have, for what opportunities that we have,” he stated. “As a native Pennsylvanian, this is truly important.”
Brian Smith, a farmer in Wayne County, spoke in support of natural gas industry and highlighted the benefits it has provided to farmers. “Wayne County is right against the Delaware River. In the 1970’s we had over 1,000 dairy farms. In the 1980’s we were down to 600. Currently we are down to 65 farms. When we started leasing our land to natural gas development we stopped losing our farms,” he stated. “Let’s make this the next step in an industrial evolution. This won’t last forever but it will get us to the next step beyond that but it will provide a future for our youngsters and provide a future for our families. It will keep those family farms farming.”
Les Houck, Salisbury Township Supervisor in Lancaster County, discussed how the natural gas industry has benefited all of Pennsylvania. “Local governments and the energy industry have been true partners,” he stated. “More than $600 million in impact fees have been distributed inside and outside the Marcellus Shale region since 2012 and that funding has been a game changer for the municipalities. Like the impact fee itself, natural gas drilling has brought the good. Good jobs, higher wages, and business growth.”
Paula Jackson, President and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, spoke about the benefits of the energy industry. “Energy allows us to have lower heating bills. Energy allows us to start small businesses. Energy allows us to show our children that there are opportunities in their career if they want to have four year degree, a Masters, a PhD, if they want to work with their hands, if they want to be a welder, a pipefitter. Energy does that,” she stated. “We have to go back and talk to the tens of thousands who are not here today so they get it, so they know that energy provides an opportunity for them. For some to take them out of poverty, for some to live whatever that American dream is, for some to provide for their children in a way they never thought they could, for some to be innovators so they can develop the next great opportunity. Energy does that. Energy is opportunity.”
Scott Roy, Chairman of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, highlighted the benefits of energy development. “Far too often we are confronted with that false choice: either we develop energy sources here domestically, we create economic opportunity or we protect the environment...as you all know and live on a daily basis that shale production is not an either/or proposition. We can, we must and we are doing both,” he stated. “Air quality across the commonwealth is steadily improving. CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions are at 20-year lows thanks in large part in what we’re doing here in Pennsylvania every day. Communities that have struggled for years are beginning to see a very bright light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel. Job creation, made possible by the sort of investments being made here in Pennsylvania, is occurring in every corner of the Commonwealth and it will continue for decades. Tax revenue generated by this industry is in the neighborhood of hundreds of millions [of dollars] annually and we have the ability now to loosen our dependency on foreign sources of energy.”
Roy concluded by thanking the crowd for attending the event. “Today’s event is nothing short than monumental and the start of something larger than any one of us individually. A movement is underway and you are playing a critical role in those efforts. The work that you do every day is changing the lives of all Pennsylvanians in a very positive way.” he stated. “By working together we can show our state, the nation and the world that Pennsylvania is the keystone to a brighter future for everyone.”