Pros of Natural Gas Drilling in Pennsylvania

Hydraulic Fracturing

EPa declares Hydraulic Fracturing safe in 2004 study

excluded from safe water act

burden of proof lies with anti-drillers

more efficient

Economic and local Benefits

Generates direct and indirect jobs

Road Bonds and maintenance

higher income= better infrastructure

Energy Policy

will allow increased energy independence- increased domestic production

one of the largest plays ever found

up-and-coming energy resource

efficiency improvement

Pro-Drilling Advocates

• Industrial Minerals Association- North America

• Energy Tomorrow (American Petroleum Institute)

• Marcellus Coalition

Statistics

• Over one million hydrofracking wells drilled over the last 60 years without groundwater contamination

• state and local governments will receive almost $2 billion in taxes from the natural gas industry in PA from 2008-2010

• more than 110000 new jobs expected to open up in 2010 from drilling

Cons of Natural Gas Drilling in Pennsylvania

By Brooke Dalby

Environmental Cost

• Drilling wastewater1

• Threatens populations of salamanders and aquatic insects1

• Construction of roads and pad sites (erosion & sedimentation pollution)2

• Contaminants could leach into groundwater2

• More and more off-site treatment plants needed for increasing volumes of contaminated water (also expensive)2

Other Costs

• Industrialization of rural area

• Loss of (sometimes public) natural resource to for-profit companies

• Only encourages America’s dependence on non-renewable natural resources

Anti-Drilling Advocates

• Concerned Citizens of Northeastern Pennsylvania

• Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition

• R.E.S.C.U.E. of Northeastern Pennsylvania

Statistics/Polls

• A preliminary study1 found that high-density drilling can still have a harmful impact on our environment

• A study conducted by Franklin & Marshall college3 found that 35% of Pennsylvanians support a tax increase on companies that extract and sell natural gas, while 49% do not support this.

• A poll conducted by Gov. Rendell gathered that 78% supported gas severance tax while only 14% opposed it1

Political Stance

• Democrats seem to oppose it (environmental harm) and Republicans seem to support it.

• Gas drilling companies support Republicans financially (campaign money)4

• The Green Party of the United States opposes this drilling expansion5

Information Sources

• 1. Bauers, By Sandy. "Philly Academy Study Finds Gas Drilling Threatens Streams | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/12/2010." Philly.com: Philadelphia Local News, Sports, Jobs, Cars, Homes. The Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20101012_Philly_academy_study_finds_gas_drilling_threatens_streams.html>.

• 2. Pennell, Robert. "Marcellus Shale Drilling Is Biggest Threat to Pennsylvania Wilds | PennLive.com." Central PA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - PennLive.com. Advance Internet, 14 Nov. 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2009/11/marcellus_shale_drilling_is_bi.html>.

Information Sources Cont.

• 3. Center for Opinion Research. Franklin & Marshall College Poll March 2010. Rep. no. Poll. March 2010 Franklin & Marshall College Poll. Franklin & Marshall College, 23 Mar. 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <edisk.fandm.edu/FLI/keystone/pdf/keymar10_1.pdf>.

• 4. Martin, John P. "Natural Gas Industry Spent Heavily on Pennsylvania Republican Candidates | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/04/2010." Philly.com: Philadelphia Local News, Sports, Jobs, Cars, Homes. The Philadelphia Inquierer, 4 Nov. 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20101104_Natural_gas_industry_spent_heavily_on_Pennsylvania_Republican_candidates.html>.

• 5. The Green Party of the United States. "III. ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY." Green Party of the United States | Homepage. 21 Sept. 2004. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/ecology.html#753950>.