PEIA Coalition Responds to GPEAT Study on Need for Investments in Pipeline Infrastructure

DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance (PEIA) today issued the following statement in response to the release of the Greater Philadelphia Energy Action Team (GPEAT) report, “A Pipeline for Growth,” which looks at ways the region can benefit from the state’s abundance of natural gas by investing in pipeline infrastructure to move the product from shale fields across the commonwealth.

Trish McFarland, President of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and one of four founding members of PEIA:  “Across Pennsylvania, development of the shale industry has become a new economic engine for our state, supporting energy infrastructure projects that have brought new opportunity to thousands of residents. We’ve seen that firsthand in Marcus Hook, where the first shipment of ethane left the facility and affirmed that our energy renaissance is under way. The potential is so much greater, for this region and for all of Pennsylvania, if we invest in the safe, responsible development of pipeline infrastructure that can link our state and ensure we all share in the benefits of this shale revolution.”

Abe Amoros, state legislative director at Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA!), another founding PEIA member: “Our commonwealth is home to more than 25,000 LiUNA members who right now are helping to build infrastructure projects that are bringing new energy, job creation and economic growth to our state and communities. We play a central role in ensuring pipelines are developed safely and responsibly, and we have a vested interest in the revitalization and expansion of the facilities that would process and use these energy resources. This is a generational opportunity. I cannot stress enough that for thousands of workers across our state, these projects are not just pipelines and processing facilities; they are also a lifeline to family-supporting jobs.”

The Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance is a broad-based coalition of labor, agriculture, manufacturing and other business interests that support private investment to modernize energy infrastructure and ensure reliable access to low-cost energy to power our local economy and ensure the utmost safety and health of our communities.  As the safest mode to transport energy, we believe that investing in new and existing pipelines will benefit our communities through new job opportunities, new industries, and new access to affordable energy over the long-term. There are more than two dozen PEIA members today. Visit www.paallianceforenergy.com for more information, or on Twitter @PAllies4Energy.

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