Over the past two years, there has been much discussion about the impact of natural gas development in Pennsylvania. In recent weeks, this has reached a fevered pitch as state government leaders try to finalize a new law before the end of the year. There are many moving parts and issues on the table. Emotions have run high on all sides, and occasionally, facts and sound science have become the casualties. There have been compromises and accommodations all through the process, but the cake remains unbaked! As elected officials, everyone in this process shares a collective responsibility to …
By Faye Kennedy It is coming up on the two-week mark and I have just entered the fourth and final stage of our Thanksgiving meal. We all know that prancing around with the big, beautiful, brown bird just before it meets the knife is phase one and met with smiles and thunderous applause by guests thankful first and foremost that they were not hosting. My brother-in-law was pressed into service to carve the heart of the meal and he did not disappoint. Like a samurai, he was quick and accurate—white meat on one side, dark meat on the other, wings attractively placed on the serving platter. …
I am so torn as the calendar continues to carry us farther and farther into fall. I have such a love-hate relationship with this season. I love back to school; I hate all the back to school activities. I love the changing leaves; I hate the leaves falling all over my lawn. I love the smell of fall when I go running; I hate the smell of the stinkbugs that invade my home. More than anything, though, I hate knowing that at the end of this season of oranges and reds and turkey and football, is my enemy. It sits there patiently waiting for its attack—lurking—peeking out from time to time checking …
Dear Local State Lawmakers, As you are obviously aware at this point, there is a huge outcry over the House Finance Committee’s Bill (HB1950, attached) regarding Marcellus Shale and the ability of local municipalities to regulate themselves. While I know that there is a separate bill in the Senate being considered (SB1100, attached), it is important to point out the opposition to the House Bill. As a member of the Marcellus Municipal Co-op, I can tell you that our township is opposed to this bill. I have spoken to several of my colleagues and the consensus is the same. This Bill needs to …
By James Protin A few hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin said, “When the well is dry, we know the value of water.” That statement is no less true today. Engineers have been focused on water for over centuries. As far back as ancient Rome, we have been looking for innovative ways to preserve, protect, and manage our planets water resources. Fresh water is our most precious natural resource and getting more precious every day. Today in Pennsylvania, increased demand from drilling firms operating in the Marcellus Shale alone consumes in excess of 5 million gallons during the hydraulic …
I decided to take a break from writing about the myriad of issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale and write something personal for a change. So I took some time this morning over coffee to really reflect on the people I've know over my lifetime and it really is a crazy, eclectic, innovative, and colorful bunch. Good and bad I would not trade one relationship or experience, I would not change a thing because those people and places and the lessons they taught me made me who I am today. I appreciate life...not just my life but life because of the life I have lived. The people close to me have …
The natural gas industry has been booming in our region for a few years now and it seems like every move the energy companies make is front-page material. In recent weeks I have written about hydraulic fracturing facts, energy companies and their roles in our communities and the economic benefits of natural gas extraction in our region. It has also been my opinion that there had to be a way for Pennsylvanians to reap the economic benefit of natural-gas exploration and production and protect our environment. To that end, the state and federal regulatory agencies, energy companies and …
Pennsylvania is a beautiful state blessed with abundant natural resources that provide a source of pride for those of us who are lucky enough to call her home and a source of envy for those other states that are not so blessed. We all must make it our priority to protect and preserve those resources so they remain abundant and viable for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.Balancing environmental protection, public health and safety and economic prosperity is not a new task for Pennsylvanians. We have for the most part kept those plates spinning across the Commonwealth for generations. We…
By Jim Protin, Director of Business Development, Mid-Atlantic Region Chester EngineersBy now, you have heard the statistics that state there are 141,000 employees in direct Marcellus Shale or related industries—48,000 new hires since fourth quarter 2009 and 71 percent of new hires from Pennsylvania. Add to that the fact there are currently 2,400-posted jobs in Marcellus Shale-related industries. The commonwealth has seen dramatic increases in tax payments, a more than 11-percent increase in state sales tax, and a 7-percent increase in individual taxable income. These are staggering numbers …
