Spread the natural gas drilling wealth

http://citizensvoice.com/news/senators-spread-the-natural-gas-drilling-wealth-1.1187598#axzz1UojFUOX3
By Elizabeth Skrapits (Staff Writer)
Published: August 12, 2011

WILKES-BARRE – With the Susquehanna River as a backdrop, state and local officials made a pitch for environmentally responsible Marcellus Shale development that will create jobs throughout Pennsylvania and a tax on natural gas extraction that will generate revenue for the entire state.

At a press conference at the River Commons on Wednesday, two state senators – Energy Committee Minority Chairman John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, and Democratic Leader Jay Costa, D-Homestead – stressed the importance of environmental protection and employment opportunities.

Costa’s constituency is in Allegheny County, which has natural gas drilling. Yudichak’s Luzerne County district most likely will not, after exploratory wells came up dry.

But the senators would like to spread the wealth, not only in terms of revenue from a severance tax, but also as far as job creation.

“We’re a commonwealth, and we need to share all of our resources,” Costa said.

The senators believe part of the severance tax revenue should go into a statewide pool of money for environmental grants. Yudichak pointed out how Northeastern Pennsylvania has benefited from similar programs, such as the Growing Greener program.

Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority Director Jim Brozena wants cut state funding restored for programs to help communities damaged in “unforeseen weather events,” like the July 3 flash flooding in Plymouth Township and Plymouth Borough.

Michael Kwashnik, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163, brought up the need for safety while on the job.

There is no specific program through the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to regulate safety at natural gas job sites, Kwashnik said.

He said local IBEW members often work on compressor stations – if a company doesn’t bring in out-of-state or undocumented workers or unlicensed subcontractors.

It’s up to each individual gas company to have its own safety program implemented, Kwashnik said. Many of them have safe work sites and hire skilled, trained professionals, but there are a few “wildcat” companies only looking to make a quick buck, he said.

“Some of them are very safe. Others throw safety to the wind,” he said.

In one case, IBEW members were called in to fix a compressor station near Elmira, N.Y. that blew up two days after it was completed, Kwashnik said. He said it turned out the gas company had hired 22 undocumented workers.

The drilling industry needs millions of gallons of water for hydraulic fracturing, which involves blasting the chemical-treated water thousands of feet underground to break up the shale and release the gas. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission regulates water withdrawals from all sources in the river’s watershed.

Paul Swartz said in his 20 years with the commission, potential effects of natural gas drilling on the river have caused more concern than any other issue.

Swartz said the commission’s position on natural gas drilling is “you can have your cake and eat it too.” But only if proper regulations and laws are in place and agencies like the Susquehanna River Basin Commission have the ability to enforce them, he said.

Swartz said he does not want to see the same type of issues as with coal mining and timbering.

Yudichak also brought up the legacy of environmental degradation left by the coal barons for the taxpayers to clean up.

That’s what Shavertown resident Audrey Simpson, who held a sign stating, “Gas drilling boom-bust economy is not the answer,” fears.

“When the gas companies are done with Pennsylvania, what economy are we going to have left?” she said. “There will be no tourism, no state parks, no state forests. What kind of future is that?”

Jim Straub of Kingston wanted to know whether the state and local municipalities would get royalties for drilling underneath roads. He doesn’t oppose drilling.

“This is not going to stop,” he said. “We’ve just got to make sure we get enough compensation in the meantime.”

Costa said compensation might not come in the form of royalties, but municipalities would receive money for infrastructure with a severance tax or impact fee.

eskrapits@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2072