The increased use of natural gas for power generation has delivered between $450 billion to $1.04 trillion in public health benefits, according to a recent MSC analysis, as the locally produced, clean fuel directly improves Pennsylvanians’ health outcomes.
“Pennsylvania’s energy leadership with the sustained development of clean natural gas is generating substantial benefits for our environment, economy and, as this data shows, the well-being of our communities,” said MSC President, David Callahan.
Using recent data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), and applying U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methodologies to assign a dollar value to each ton of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (Sox) reduced, the Marcellus Shale Coalition found that Pennsylvanians are realizing $7.9-$18.4 billion in NOx and $445.1 billion – $1.02 trillion in SOx cumulative public health benefits.
Natural gas use has slashed pollutant emissions in the power sector. From 2005-2022, SOx emissions are down 11,127,515 tons and NOx emissions are down 1,317,335 tons. The decrease in emissions improves air quality and helps alleviate respiratory ailments. As a result, Pennsylvanians not only benefit from a cleaner environment but also experience a tangible decrease in costs related to medical conditions exacerbated by air pollution.
On top of these benefits, natural gas use has caused a sharp decline in the Commonwealth’s power sector carbon emissions, dropping 46% compared to peak 2005 levels. This is equivalent to removing 12.5 million cars from the road for a year – or removing every car in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and seven other neighboring states combined.
Natural gas represents a critical tool in the global effort to address environmental concerns and Pennsylvania is leading the effort in providing tangible and quantifiable developments. By leveraging the benefits of natural gas, we’re able to not only enjoy improved air quality, but also support economic growth and energy security.
“Thanks to natural gas, Pennsylvanians are breathing cleaner air than ever before, directly translating to improved quality of life for our residents,” Callahan continued.
