Pipeline infrastructure investments are critical for a thriving Pennsylvania economy. This is why David Black, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and CREDC, supports more pipeline construction throughout the Commonwealth.
From his perspective, pipelines are “critical for Pennsylvania’s future. We need to get this abundant resource we have to places where it can be disbursed, utilized, where it can fuel the economy, and where it can be used to keep people warm in the winter time.”
Pipelines are the safest way to transport energy resources and as the second-largest natural gas producing state in the country, making necessary investments in energy infrastructure is critical to support the economic benefits these resources provide our economy, but also to keep our communities safe.
The Harrisburg Chamber uses the tagline, “building your business in our region,” Black says. “More than just building successful businesses, we must build a great place to live, to work, and to play. The benefits provided by the energy resources in Pennsylvania make the Commonwealth a more attractive place to live and work.”
Energy infrastructure investments, like Mariner East 2, will provide countless positive benefits for all Pennsylvania residents through jobs and other economic benefits, not to mention the indirect benefits these projects provide communities through increased tax dollars. Pennsylvania-based Sunoco Logistics’ Mariner East 2 pipeline will create up to 31,000 jobs during construction, around 400 jobs once built, and provide around $62 million in tax dollars for the Commonwealth, which can be used to build schools, parks, and roads.
From the vast energy resources in western Pennsylvania’s Marcellus and Utica shale formations to facilities like the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex in southeastern Pennsylvania, where resources can be processed, stored, and transported to market for consumer’s use, Pennsylvania has many great opportunities. To take advantage of those opportunities, we must make investments in modern pipeline infrastructure with state of the art technology to ensure it can be transported safely.
“Doing so will make Pennsylvania more competitive not just in our country, but throughout the world,” said Black.