• “Natural gas from shale is increasingly putting America on a sustainable path to a more competitive and cleaner energy future”
  • “Basically [the Marcellus] saved my company from going under and my home from becoming a statistic”
  • “Marcellus shale drilling activity has [small business owner] feeling pretty optimistic about the future”

Marcellus Multiplier “Draws New Companies To” Western Pa.: A recent study shows that the Marcellus Shale created 38,000 jobs last year, but a little restaurant in Washington County shows that the economic impact is a whole lot deeper than that. Two years ago, the Cherry Hill Grille was struggling to keep the lights on and employees had to cut back their hours. These days, the restaurant is doing great, catering to shale gas workers who eat out all the time. “We’re keeping our people working, giving them overtime and more money for them,” Coleen Pascuzzi with Cherry Hill Grille said. … “Basically it saved my company from going under and my home from becoming a statistic,” Michael Pascuzzi, of New Dominion Construction, said. His construction company is now thriving, preparing well sites for the shale gas industry. … Mary Pirih is getting royalty checks for leasing her land for drilling and has more shops and restaurants in which to spend them. “I think it’s enlivened us again that there is a possibility that we don’t have to be a ghost town anymore,” she said. (KDKA-TV, 6/13/11)

Bayer Corporation CEO: “Getting the ‘Appalachian Gold Rush’ Right”: Marcellus production increased gross regional product for Pennsylvania and West Virginia by $4.8 billion, generated more than 57,000 jobs and $1.7 billion in local, state and federal tax revenue. Separately, a West Virginia University study determined that Marcellus production created 7,600 West Virginia jobs and nearly $298 million in wages in 2009 alone. Much of this success can be attributed to the natural gas producers themselves. But as Marcellus development expands and high-paying jobs become more abundant, a host of industries are attracted to our region. That means tax revenue to support state and community needs. Together, these factors spell out a bright, prosperous future for our region. … The “Appalachian Gold Rush” is on, and our region can become a model of American energy ingenuity. Whether it provides heat in the winter, cool air in the summer or plays a key role in a complex chemical formula, natural gas from shale is increasingly putting America on a sustainable path to a more competitive and cleaner energy future. (Wheeling News-Register, 6/15/11)

Robert Bryce: “America Needs the Shale Revolution”: The drilling industry itself is creating jobs. Over the past 12 months, some 48,000 people were hired in Pennsylvania by companies working in the Marcellus Shale. While the Pennsylvania economy is getting a much-needed lift from drilling, opposition in New York may mean that the state loses out on jobs and investment. A new study by Tim Considine, an energy economist at the University of Wyoming, estimates that drilling in the Marcellus Shale could add as many as 15,000 new jobs to the New York economy by 2015. The study, conducted for the Manhattan Institute (a think tank where I am a senior fellow), estimated that shale drilling in New York could add some $1.7 billion to the state’s economy by 2015 and increase the state’s tax revenue by more than $200 million. … A vibrant industrial base requires cheap, abundant and reliable sources of energy. The shale revolution now underway is the best news for North American energy since the discovery of the East Texas Field in 1930. We can’t afford to let fear of a proven technology stop the much-needed resurgence of American industry. (Wall Street Journal, 6/13/11)

“Marshall County feels effects of gas-drilling boom”: Some residents in Marshall County are becoming rich off Marcellus shale drilling. The gas-drilling boom is creating an economic upswing throughout the community. Despite the recession, Marshall County is doing better than most counties in the state. … Marshall County Commissioner Donald Mason said this means big money for some residents. “We have seen several people in our county become instant millionaires with the signing of the leases and some of [the wells] are already producing. There are rumors that some people are getting as much as $60,000 a month from their gas wells,” Mason said. And the money from those lease checks is trickling into the community. … Some restaurants, hotels, trucking operations and other businesses say they are also experiencing more business since the gas drilling began. … John Hunnel said he’s seen the Northern Panhandle area suffer from a loss in manufacturing jobs like glass and steel over the years. He said the Marcellus shale drilling activity has him feeling pretty optimistic about the future. “Anytime you have different jobs coming in to the area it does help,” he said. “It brings other businesses along with it which is good, but I think this whole area is going to change dramatically within the next probably five to 10 years for sure.” (Charleston Gazette, 6/12/11)

SMU Prof.: “Gas drilling pays big benefits”: In terms of potential output and economic impact, however, the Barnett and Eagle Ford are dwarfed by the Marcellus Shale formation that stretches across large swaths of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. New York, with an effective moratorium on shale gas drilling, continues to hemorrhage jobs along its Southern Tier. Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is already benefiting mightily from shale gas production. Several studies have documented the huge economic boost to the state in term of jobs, income and tax revenue. One study found that nearly 48,000 jobs related to Marcellus Shale activity have been created in Pennsylvania over the past year. (Albany Times Union, 6/15/11)

Marcellus Development can “Positively Impact all Sectors of the Economy”: The Marcellus Shale…holds a huge amount of natural gas, perhaps more than 500 trillion cubic feet of gas. It is estimated that some horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing methods could recover as much as 10 percent of that, about 50 trillion cubic feet, enough to supply the entire United States for about two years, with a wellhead value of about one trillion dollars. The American Petroleum Institute (API) notes that natural gas production in the Marcellus added 57,000 new jobs, mostly in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as production increased in 2009. “This new analysis predicts that many tens of thousands of more jobs could be created in the coming years if public policies do not drastically limit production,” said Dr. Timothy J. Considine of Natural Resource Economics. “Under the best scenarios the development of Marcellus could mean $24 billion in total economic value to the region, which would positively impact all sectors of the economy.” (Bluefield Daily Telegraph Op-Ed, 6/14/11)

“Pittsburgh Is Remade as Steal City”: Pittsburgh, once written off as a dying steel town, has turned into one of the most resilient office-rental markets in the U.S., prompting a flurry of building sales as some longtime owners take profits. Energy companies, moving in to develop Marcellus shale-gas projects, are stoking office demand. Employment is growing in such areas as medicine, education, financial services and computer software. The city’s biggest bank, PNC Financial Services Group Inc., last month said it would build a 40-story tower to help house its growing staff. (Wall Street Journal, 6/15/11)