Community

Industry operators and their employees are important members of their local communities in which they operate. Operators are committed to creating strong working relationships with mineral- and landowners, with the shared goal of making positive and impactful contributions while meeting local needs.

The tens of thousands of employees, who work each day to responsibly develop clean-burning American natural gas, overwhelmingly live in these communities too. We’re active in our children’s schools, coach youth sports, lead Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and volunteer our time through countless other organizations. Our Guiding Principles are underpinned by our commitment “to being responsible members of the communities in which we work.”

Though the development of natural gas in Appalachia remains in its early stages, MSC member companies have already committed significant resources to support organizations throughout the region. It starts with a dialogue to better understand local priorities and create collaborative strategies for sustained investment and improvement.

Many MSC members have targeted contributions toward educational efforts, including scholarships and mentoring programs. MSC member companies are also working with local universities and technical schools to attract local students to careers in the energy industry and develop the most effective curricula to help ensure those students “job-ready” upon graduation. Again, a key tenet of our Guiding Principles is “to attract and retain a talented and engaged local workforce.”

Another key area of investment is supporting local fire departments, as well as emergency and first responders. Our industry has ongoing partnerships with many local and county organizations to help make certain first responders are properly trained to address natural gas related incidents. It’s a partnership that we’re committed to building upon as natural gas development expands into new regions.

As the production of clean-burning American natural gas continues across the region, MSC member companies will continue their steadfast commitment to strengthen communities by making our region a better place to live, work and raise our families — for our generation and for future generations.