With much of the focus of natural gas and natural gas pipeline activity on the Southeast region of the Commonwealth it is always important – and valuable – to take a look at the benefits of the natural gas industry throughout Pennsylvania.
Senator Camera Bartolotta, representing parts of Greene, Beaver, and Washington counties, was featured in the Observer – Reporter offering insights into the many benefits she observes from her constituents and role as Chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
A few of the key natural gas points Senator Bartolotta highlights:
- Transitioning to natural gas improves air quality;
- National security;
- Natural gas supports more than 322,000 jobs in Pennsylvania;
- These jobs generate over $20 billion in wages;
- With natural gas comes significant infrastructure investment like the $1 billion Shell cracker plant in Beaver County; and
- Pipeline infrastructure removes tanker trucks from Commonwealth roads.
All of these factors play into the tremendous growth Pennsylvania has realized in recent years. In fact, the Commonwealth has moved from producing 20% of the state’ natural gas consumption to producing 20% of the nation’s consumption.
The Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance is excited to see members of the state’s legislature champion natural gas instead of getting caught up in the semantics of the Southeast. The facts are indisputable; natural gas has – and will continue – to be a windfall for the state.
As Senator Bartolotta suggests, a winning strategy looks like working “…together to avoid implementing roadblocks that would halt this industry’s progress and instead focus efforts on supporting safe and reliable natural gas infrastructure, workforce development, and job training programs to strengthen our communities.”