Today, members of the House Agricultural Committee raised alarm about a shortage of critical propane. While propane is used to heat homes in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, it is also used to help dry crops such as corn in the agricultural industry.
The letter, signed by members of the committee and addressed to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman, Neil Chatterjee stated:
“…farmers…are facing an untenable situation with limited propane supplies available in some areas to dry corn coming off the field…We hope to avoid a disastrous situation with cold temperatures and snow in the forecast spiking demand for residential deliveries just as farmers are needing to heat poultry and livestock barns and crop farmers are facing one of their most frustrating harvest seasons in years.”
Thanks to the development of the Marcellus and Utica Shale Formations, Pennsylvania is helping to solve this problem. Propane is one of the major energy products being produced and with expanded development of energy infrastructure in the commonwealth, we will be better positioned to source these products for domestic consumers.
Many anti-pipeline activists believe that there is no local benefit for these products, which is clearly disputed by today’s letter. In fact, the letter is the most recent example of the high domestic demand for natural gas liquids like propane. We must make sure that we have the infrastructure needed to transport it efficiently and safely to market.