Expanding Pennsylvania’s energy infrastructure spreads economic benefits across the state, bringing thousands of jobs and large amounts of new money to local communities from Pittsburgh to Pennsylvania. It’s no secret that natural gas benefits Pennsylvania tremendously, and as our production continues to soar we need to make sure that we have the capacity to transport it from the Marcellus shale to downstream markets.
One important project currently underway is the Mariner East 2 pipeline. While the project has already helped many people in Pennsylvania, many of the benefits have yet to be realized. As Michael Butler, mid-Atlantic Regional Director of the Consumer Energy Alliance, writes in The Washington Observer-Reporter,
“Pipelines have long been proven to be the safest, most efficient way to transport our energy resources across long distances to the markets that need it. And markets here in Pennsylvania will soon benefit from one such project that is currently under construction. The Mariner East 2, nearing completion, represents a $3 billion investment that has helped to create over 30,000 jobs and will generate approximately $1 million in tax revenue for the commonwealth.”
Bringing greater pipeline capacity online helps Pennsylvania workers and helps Pennsylvania citizens. Projects like Mariner East 2 are important for the future of Pennsylvania’s energy market, and we commend Michael Butler for his thoughtful letter demonstrating the benefits of Mariner East 2, and pipelines in general.