Keystone State Energy Benefits Brought Home by Local Projects

The Keystone state is home to an expansive, recoverable supply of natural gas wealth that is catalyzing local manufacturing capacity and energy connectivity. Energy infrastructure projects across the state are expanding to capitalize on this energy wealth, to bring benefits home for Pennsylvanians.

A recent letter to the editor in The Tribune Review by James T. Kunz Jr., founding member of the Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance and business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66, highlighted the high regulatory standards these energy projects adhere to and cautioned that these benefits can only be fully realized if this infrastructure expands:

The Marcellus and Utica shale formations provide great opportunities for Pennsylvania. But the full benefits will not be attained if we do not build the pipelines needed to transport resources to market. A number of key infrastructure projects have been proposed or are in construction right now across the state, and many of our members are on the job today.

But unnecessary regulatory actions, beyond what is normally required, are causing increased delays and environmental risk. One example is a recent agreement among Sunoco, the Department of Environmental Protection and environmental groups that is causing horizontal directional drilling to start and stop, start and stop — something industry experts agree has the potential for greater harm.

Uncertainty around Pennsylvania’s regulatory policies is hampering development of pipeline infrastructure and hindering our ability to realize the gain from these projects.

Local energy projects are spreading benefits across local communities in Pennsylvania, and construction of this infrastructure needs to continue as planned for these benefits to be realized as quickly and safely as possible.