Recently published in the DelcoTimes, Earl Baker, former two-term Republican Senator in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, writes about the important role Pennsylvania plays in the energy industry, and its ability to provide an abundance of natural resources to support both a robust domestic and export market.
Some critics from the propane industry have recently said that exports supported by energy development and infrastructure are bad for the American economy and consumer because it creates competition for energy that would have otherwise been consumed domestically, however this is not the case.
Baker accurately points out that the production of propane in the United States exceeds demand, proving their concerns wrong. He further explains that propane exports have actually increased overall supply, while propane exports have increased by 20% and prices have decreased by 30%.
Pennsylvania has played a large role in exporting U.S. energy abroad – specifically, the Marcus Hook Facility in Southeast Pennsylvania. In his piece, Baker describes how the terminal point for the Mariner East Mariner East 2 pipeline has become a major export point for natural gas liquids (NGLs) such as propane, while it generates $9.1 billion in economic activity and supports more than 57,000 jobs.
These important factors further reinforce why America’s energy revolution is tied to our country’s domestic success, as well as our allies’ success, who have previously experienced the threat of energy shortages abroad. As Baker astutely points out, the two are not mutually exclusive.