Safe, responsible natural gas development has revitalized Pittsburgh’s economy and brought long-term benefits to area residents. While industry opponents hail Allegheny County Council’s recent ban on future development, the bill lacks merit and robs citizens and municipalities of future opportunities.
Consider the county’s 2014 decision to allow for drilling beneath Deer Lakes Park by Range Resources, which has generated more than $15 million in revenue and funded infrastructure improvements (including $4.5 million in lease bonus payments, $7.7 million in royalties, and $3 million for park improvements) – all with no surface or environmental disturbance to the park.
Deer Lakes has been in the spotlight over the latest politically-motivated battle, but it’s far from the only county-owned property that’s benefitted from the shale resources found below it. In July 2021, the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) turned on the world’s first natural gas and solar-powered microgrid – reducing emissions and costs while addressing reliability issues.
This innovative partnership between PIT, Peoples Gas and natural gas producer CNX Resources Corp. began in 2015, when five natural gas wells and over 9,000 solar panels were installed to jointly power airport grounds. In the year since switching over to the microgrid, PIT has already saved $1 million in costs and cut CO2 emissions by about 8.2 million pounds.
In May of this year, that partnership expanded with the onset of plans to create a sustainable fuel hub utilizing locally-sourced natural gas. The partnership will convert Utica shale gas to alternative fuels like LNG, CNG and sustainable aviation fuels, utilized by everything from mass transit, aviation, cargo, military and other energy-intense sectors.
“This new phase of the CNX-PIT partnership, driven by technological advancements and stakeholder collaboration, reflects the long-term benefits, economy-wide growth opportunities and staying power of affordable, locally-produced natural gas,” MSC President Dave Callahan said of the announcement.
Another example of the county’s shale-driven benefits can be found in revenues generated from the natural gas impact tax. With statewide totals topping $234 million in 2021 alone, Allegheny County has received nearly $25 million since the program’s inception more than a decade ago.
These critical funds support infrastructure upgrades, community development programs, and emergency response efforts without raising taxes on county residents.
READ MORE: $234 Million Generated from Pa.’s Drilling Tax for Communities, Environmental Programs
Natural gas is cornerstone to Pennsylvania and has “fueled Pittsburgh’s economy.” Banning safe, clean natural gas development does nothing but limit access to the affordable and reliable fuel and hinder job opportunities for local residents and building trades. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is taking sensible actions to ensure residents continue to enjoy the widespread benefits from natural gas and, importantly, allow future councilmembers to make decisions that will benefit the county on their own terms.
READ MORE: Fitzgerald: Natural Gas Development Beneath Parks “Right Thing” for County
