PEIA Member and Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Kotula Opines on Energy Infrastructure Importance

A recent KDKA 2 – CBS Pittsburgh interview with Washington County Chamber of Commerce President, and PEIA member, Jeff Kotula highlighted the unique interconnectedness of the energy industry. Kotula spoke to the importance of building out all components of energy production, processing, and delivery through the safest means possible.

Kotula’s interview comes on the back of a recent decision to lift a Department of Environmental Protection permit bar that had stalled the completion of the Mariner East 2 pipeline.

KDKA’s interview noted that with a drop in the state’s drilling rigs has led to as many as 400 layoffs in the natural gas industry from firms like EQT, Range Resources, and CNX. Kotula however still sees nothing but upside and potential with the problem not in drilling rig decreases but with difficulties in delivering the product to market.

Kotula called for added delivery means, positing “It means pipelines, it means a delivery system. I would also argue that we can export more gas to other states and other countries, which would help to get that surplus down.”

The path to a strong energy industry is perfectly linear, especially in Pennsylvania where production in the Marcellus deposits in Western Pennsylvania generate energy projects in Central Pennsylvania and commerce opportunities in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The full interview can be seen here.