The safe development of job-creating American natural gas continues to deliver broad-based economic, environmental and national security benefits. From more jobs, especially in the manufacturing sector and for labor building trades, to expanded natural gas production and increased, locally-source power generation for consumers and small businesses, shale continues to benefit us all.

This week, in fact, the federal government announced that Marcellus Shale natural gas production “will continue increasing in September to nearly 16 billion cubic feet per day” – demonstrating further that the Marcellus is “by far the biggest natural gas producing formation in the country.”The Marcellus Shale’s outlook is very strong, too, “whose output cruised past 15 billion cubic feet per day in July, is set to deliver an additional 3.5 Bcf/d slug of supply this fall.”

It’s no wonder why there is strong and growing bipartisan support for this generational opportunity, as the Wall Street Journal reports this week. Here’s what they’re saying:

GOOD-PAYING UNION JOBS, OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN, CONSUMER BENEFITS

  • “Natural Gas To Electricity Plant in Lycoming Co.”: Ground was broken in Lycoming Co. Tuesday for a new natural gas power plant and a lot of the electricity generated is expected to heat homes and businesses in Pennsylvania. Officials said they plan on using Marcellus Shale to generate electricity to power the community at the new plant that will bring jobs and more money to Central Pennsylvania. … Officials said there are already 200 people working at the site. That number could increase to 500 before the project is done. “It’s bringing in welders, electricians, piper fitters, and laborers,” said [Fred Grasty, Quality Control Manager]. (WNEP-TV, 8/12/14)
  • “Women Find Careers in Energy”: When Jessica Ullom goes to work, she dons a white hard hat, safety glasses, metatarsal boots, and a portable gas monitor. Most of her days are spent in the rural fields of Western Pennsylvania, overseeing the environmental conditions at well sites. … Ms. Ullom and Ms. McAvoy are environmental technicians with Range Resources. They got into the oil and gas industry three to four years ago because it provided them with opportunities they couldn’t get elsewhere. They’re not alone. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/12/14)
  • Shale Provides Pa. Consumers “With a Plentiful, Stable Supply of Natural Gas”: UGI Utilities, Inc. President and CEO Robert F. Beard: “Production from Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale has provided consumers in the Commonwealth with a plentiful, stable supply of natural gas. We believe the decision to use clean and economical natural gas is a ‘win’ for Panda Patriot, UGI, the residents of this community, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” (Release, 8/12/14)
  • “Natural Gas Power Plant To Provide Power, Jobs”: A natural gas power plant will provide power and hundreds of jobs in Lycoming County. … The power plant is expected to create more than 500 jobs. It’ll be one of the cleanest natural gas fueled power plants in the nation, according to Panda Power Funds. Gov. Corbett said the power project will contribute nearly six billion dollars to Pennsylvania’s economy during construction and the first 10 years of operation. (WBRE-TV, 8/12/14)
  • New Natural Gas Plant Could Add $6 Billion to Local Economy: A new natural gas fueled power plant is on its way to the state. … It’s estimated the new plant will provide power for up to one million homes and contribute nearly six billion dollars to the local economy. The company also claims the facility will be one of the cleanest natural gas-fueled power plants in the nation. (WTAJ-TV, 8/12/14)

A MANUFACTURING REBIRTH

  • “Study Finds Fracking Could Revive Manufacturing”: As many as one million new manufacturing jobs could be created in the U.S. by 2025 thanks to the abundance of natural gas now available because of advances in fracking technology. That’s according to “Shale Gas: A Game Changer for U.S. Manufacturing,” a study released by University of Michigan. The study found that decreases in the cost of natural gas will boost “energy-intensive manufacturing sectors” that produce such materials as steel, glass and paper. That in turn will lower costs for manufacturers who use those items by an estimated $12 billion annually. (Washington Examiner, 8/9/14)
  • Shale a “Big Bright Spot, Providing Countless New Opportunities for” Manufacturing Jobs: In a time when economic growth is slow and unsteady and market and regulatory trends are burdening the coal industry, the Marcellus and Utica shales are a big bright spot for West Virginia and the three-state region around northern West Virginia. State and federal policymakers need to recognize the opportunity this provides to the region. … Abundant, clean-burning domestic fuel is helping energy users — which is practically everyone — enjoy energy at lower prices and providing countless new opportunities for job creation by manufacturers looking to take advantage of lower energy costs. (Charleston Daily Mail editorial, 8/13/14)
  • Shale = A Rebirth for Pennsylvania: Todd W. Carter, president and senior partner of Panda Power Funds: “They saw then, what is happening now — the rebirth of Pennsylvania’s industrial base and a renewed hope for America’s energy independence.” (Release, 8/12/14)

AIRPORTS, BOATS, TRAINS & TRASH TRUCKS

  • “Now Arriving at Pittsburgh International: Fracking”: Pittsburgh’s airport is struggling financially and mired in debt, with sharply lower traffic ever since US Airways began phasing it out as a bustling hub in 2004. … For salvation, airport officials are looking down — about 6,000 feet. The quiet runways, it turns out, are sitting on enough natural gas to run the whole state of Pennsylvania for a year and a half, and this month, Consol Energy will drill its first well here to tap the gas, which county officials say will bring them nearly half a billion dollars over the next 20 years. … The discovery could not have come at a better time for the airport, which devotes 42 percent of its annual budget to pay off its large debt. … After the drilling begins in earnest and the natural gas royalties kick in, the airport will receive about $20 million a year, a hefty portion of an operating budget currently below $91 million. (New York Times, 8/11/14)
  • “World’s Largest Natural Gas-Powered Ships Are Almost Ready to Sail”: Getting a fully-laden cargo ship across an entire ocean requires enormous amounts of energy—usually derived from pollutant-rich diesel fuel. But one environmentally-minded shipping company has bucked that convention and instead begun construction on a pair of hybrid containerships—the first of their kind—that run primarily on cleaner burning liquefied natural gas. (Gizmado, 8/11/14)
  • “Why Railroads are Taking a Fresh Look at Natural Gas”: Gas-fueled locomotives are not a new idea. Plymouth Locomotive Company built the first propane-fuelled rail engine as early as 1936. The industry has experimented with natural gas-fueled trains on a small scale for the past 80 years without ever moving beyond the prototype stage. … The economics of gas-fueled trains have been transformed by the shale revolution. Fuel is one of the largest operating expenses for the railroad industry, so the industry has a sharp incentive to minimize fuel bills. (Reuters column, 8/13/14)
  • “Lexington Acquiring Garbage Trucks and Buses that Run on Compressed Natural Gas”: Compressed natural gas is touted as greener and cheaper, and it’s coming to Lexington in new garbage trucks, buses and fueling stations. The city on Tuesday unveiled 11 garbage trucks that run on the fuel, and it has committed to replacing its entire fleet with garbage trucks that run on compressed natural gas over time. … CNG generally costs $1.50 to $2 less than a gallon of diesel, and the garbage trucks that run on it should each save the city $6,500 a year in fuel and maintenance costs. (Lexington Herald-Standard, 8/12/14)