As national Infrastructure Week kicks off, we’re reminded of the importance of expanding Pennsylvania’s energy infrastructure, which connect consumers, manufacturers, small businesses as well as power producers with our region’s abundant and clean-burning natural gas resources.

Creating good-paying local jobs in the energy infrastructure space is something Pennsylvania voters overwhelming support, too. In fact, 85% of Pennsylvania voters, according to a recent National Association of Manufacturers survey, support increasing investment in energy infrastructure that’ll create local jobs and boost our economy.

Here are several – of the many – reasons it’s #TimeToBuild Pennsylvania’s energy infrastructure:

  • 1 Million American Jobs: According to a recent ICF report, U.S. energy infrastructure development can create more than 1 million new American jobs by 2035 as more than one trillion dollars is invested in oil and gas infrastructure. In Pennsylvania, two key energy projects, Mariner East II and PennEast, are projected to support more than 25,000 good-paying jobs, including many for our region’s building trade union members.
  • Good-Paying Union Jobs: Energy infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth are overwhelmingly built by highly-trained and skilled building trade union members. According to LiUNA, the union has invested $100+ million to “train more than 150,000 workers in pipeline safety and construction.” (Citizens Voice letter, 4/19/17)
  • Bright Manufacturing Opportunities: Pennsylvania’s world-class natural gas resource base has the potential to reshape our manufacturing potential. To fully realize these generational opportunities, Pennsylvania needs to encourage additional energy development and efficiently approve much-needed infrastructure. (Business Times, 3/21/17)
  • Stronger Pa. Economy: Local officials have hailed key infrastructure projects as “game changers” that create thousands of labor jobs and directly lead to hundreds of permanent, family-supporting manufacturing jobs. In fact, the Observer-Reporter noted in a recent editorial that the Mariner East II investment “promises to provide a huge boost to the economy of our area.”
  • Cleaner Air, Improved Environment: “Want to protect Pennsylvania’s environment and strengthen its economy? Build more pipelines,” LiUNA’s Dennis Martire wrote in a recent Post-Gazette column. “Pipelines are safer than any other mode of transporting fuel. When pipelines carry natural gas, they reduce carbon emissions and global warming.” Energy infrastructure connects Pennsylvania consumers to affordable clean-burning natural gas. Thanks to the greater use of natural gas, Pennsylvania’s air quality continues to improve and America leads the world in carbon emission reductions. 

BONUS: A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce report asks, “What if pipelines aren’t built into the northeast?” The results of this latest economic analysis are devastating to Pennsylvania’s economy and serve as a warning to elected officials and regulators about the costs of pursuing radical, anti-American energy development policies.

Join the Infrastructure Week conversation on Twitter with #TimeToBuild and learn more about safe, job-creating natural gas development on the MSC’s blog.