Marcellus Shale Recommendations
August 25, 2011

Hi, I’m Gene Barr, vice president of the Pennsylvania Chamber, welcome to this month’s Pennsylvania Chamber Minute.

Last month, the governor’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission released recommendations to help guide the responsible growth of the natural gas industry in the Commonwealth.

I was honored to serve on the commission, and as vice chairman of the economic and workforce development committee. The commission listened to numerous industry-related presentations, testimony from hundreds of residents, and observed natural gas drilling first-hand.

The end result is a comprehensive report that addresses environmental protection, market development, public health and safety, local impact, infrastructure, emergency response and workforce development.

The decision to enact any or all of the report’s recommendations now rests with the General Assembly and regulatory agencies. Most likely, the fall legislative session will include a debate about enactment of an impact fee to offset uncompensated costs in local communities where drilling is taking place.

The commission and much of the industry are receptive to a reasonable, dedicated impact fee. Pennsylvania Chamber members believe this can be achieved, but that means lawmakers must resist the call by some to allocate this revenue into the state’s General Fund, to be spent on a potentially endless array of government programs.

The Pennsylvania Chamber is also encouraging elected officials to continue with responsible, reasonable industry oversight to address legitimate public health and safety concerns, while resisting regulation based on emotion, bad science and general misinformation – an approach advocated by some groups that want nothing more than to stop the industry.

No one would argue that the Marcellus Shale industry holds both tremendous economic potential for the Commonwealth, as well as some challenges. Fully realizing the one while successfully addressing the other requires a commitment from elected officials to allow facts to drive the public policy debate.

Over the coming weeks and months, the Pennsylvania Chamber will present the facts about the industry; raise awareness about the direct and indirect business opportunities associated with natural gas drilling; and foster new employment opportunities within the industry.

As always, thank you for your membership support and for spending a minute of your time with the Pennsylvania Chamber, The Statewide Voice of Business.

And special thanks to the sponsor of this month’s message, APPI Energy, a Chamber preferred provider for energy procurement and management.