A natural gas hydraulic fracturing pad in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna County. The natural gas industry and supporters in the state Legislature say exports of Pennsylvania natural gas could help offset the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on European energy supplies, while critics say those arguments for increased infrastructure predate the war and will continue to be made afterward while delaying efforts to address climate change driven by burning fossil fuels.Christine Baker file photo | For pennlive.com
By David Callahan and Rob Bair
Amidst all the Labor Day picnics and parades, let’s all take a moment to join together and celebrate the men and women who construct the essential infrastructure that makes our modern life possible.
Consider, without welders, electricians, equipment operators, and other highly skilled tradespeople, our transportation system would be nonexistent, our homes and businesses would have no heating, cooling, and power. Given Pennsylvania’s history as an industrial hub, it’s no wonder the Commonwealth is home to some of the highest skilled and hardest working tradesmen and women in the nation. They work hard to construct and maintain the backbone of our economy – our infrastructure.
Pennsylvania is an epicenter for technology advancements, industry innovation, and a made-in-America manufacturing resurgence. Manufacturers generated $101.95 billion worth of products in 2021 but we must recognize this would not have been possible without the availability of natural gas as both a fuel source and feedstock.
Labor has accelerated America’s shale revolution, helping to transform our nation’s energy outlook from weakness and scarcity to strength and abundance. The continued growth and evolution of the natural gas industry has brought about tremendous economic opportunities for our region, including job creation and workforce development. Working in tandem, unions and the energy industry have brought are supporting a new generation of skilled laborers to build pipelines, power plants, processing facilities, and even a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in southeastern Pennsylvania.
This LNG export terminal further promotes the growth of work for local unions in Pennsylvania, estimated to provide 7,092 jobs per year during the construction phase and just under 3,000 full time positions once operations commence. Already, the Delaware River ports bring in nearly $50 billion in economic activity annually and provides over 50,000 direct jobs, according to Lisa Himber, president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay. By investing in an LNG terminal, additional opportunities would be created for the building trades and labor unions as well as a new source of revenue for local and state governments.
Growth of the natural gas industry brings with it opportunities for professionals in the building trades to find local, family-sustaining and community-sustaining careers to pursue in their home state. Recently, the Shapiro administration allocated $6 million in funding for apprenticeship programs across Pennsylvania, advancing opportunities to attract and retain young talent. This investment will help train the union workforce of today and tomorrow so they can continue to perform work that is high-quality, safe, and on-time.
This is not just an economic success story. The partnership between the natural gas industry and labor has contributed to noteworthy environmental benefits. Our air is cleaner than it has been in generations. Increased use of natural gas in the power sector slashed CO2 emissions by 44%.
But there is still work to be done.
Appalachia is the largest natural gas producing region in the United States but is missing out on key investments that could further grow and sustain our economy for the next generation. When we look to neighboring regions such as New England, with historic struggles of meeting energy demands, we see why it is so important to advocate for this low-cost, clean and abundant fuel source.
As we look to the future for Pennsylvania, the continued success of the construction trades and the natural gas industry, go hand in hand. We must continue to invest in natural gas development, pipeline infrastructure and innovative end-uses to provide careers for tomorrow’s generation, unlock the energy security, economic prosperity, and quality of life that natural gas has created.
David Callahan is president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition.
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