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For Immediate
Release
4/9/09
- Senator Yaw
- Part 1 - (running time 51 minutes)
- Part 2 - (running time 59 minutes)
- Part 3 - (running time 43 minutes)
Senate Committee Holds Public Hearing on
Marcellus Shale Gas Reserves
Chairman John Pippy, Senator Gene Yaw lead
Senate Majority Policy Committee hearing in Williamsport.
Williamsport -- The Senate Majority Policy Committee held a
public hearing today in Williamsport on the multiple issues surrounding the
Marcellus Shale gas reserves.
The hearing, led by Committee Chairman John Pippy (R-37)
and Senator Gene Yaw (R-23), included discussion with local government
officials, industry representatives, environmental organizations and other
experts. The gathering was held on the campus of the Pennsylvania College of
Technology.
"It's been well established that the natural gas within the
Marcellus Shale region provides an extraordinary – even historic -- opportunity
for energy and economic development," said Pippy. "The next, critical phase is
to develop an approach that takes advantage of this opportunity and addresses
the challenges that come with it. Pennsylvania has to get this right."
The shale rock region reaches across southern New York,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio and is estimated to contain about 360
trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
"This is the most exciting industry to come into
Pennsylvania in the past 100 years," Yaw said. "How many times in a lifetime
does a state get an opportunity to attract an industry that could potentially
create 80,000 jobs and billions of dollars in revenue for its citizens and
provide some sense of energy independence for decades to come?"
The state's recoverable gas resources are estimated to be
worth about $500 billion. Among the issues surrounding natural gas drilling that
the hearing focused on were taxation, infrastructure and land reclamation. The
environmental impact, including the effect on water quality, was also discussed.
"The economic and energy benefits are significant," Pippy
said. "The economic impact will be felt over decades, and go well beyond the gas
industry. It will likely spin off additional jobs in construction, retail and
other industries. The natural gas produced can be exported across the nation and
the globe to help ease the shift to alternative energy sources. But, despite the
global reach, the most immediate impact will be felt here in the communities
sitting atop the Marcellus Shale formation. It's important that your voice be
heard."
NOTE: Video of the hearing will be made available on the
Senate Majority Policy Committee website,
www.pasenatepolicy.com
or on Senator Yaw's website,
www.senatorgeneyaw.com.
Contact:
Adam Pankake
(717) 787-3280
Cheryl
Schriner
(717) 787-5839
Additional Information:
Environment and Energy
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