“As the U.S. economy continues its sluggish recovery from the recession,” according to a new Gallup survey, and job creation and economic growth remains in flux, several bright spots nonetheless certainly exist, especially across Pennsylvania.
In fact, Bruce Katz, a Brookings Institution economic expert, spoke in Pittsburgh this week, underscoring the fact that safe shale development is a “total game changer” for our region. Mr. Katz noted that “Pittsburgh, with the brainpower of Carnegie Mellon and the other universities, should be able to parlay cheap energy into a manufacturing renaissance,” as the Post-Gazette’s Brian O’Neill reports. “Affordable energy in Pittsburgh’s backyard should mitigate Asia’s old advantage in wage differential,” Mr. Katz added. Manufacturing is indeed on its way back, thanks in large part to America’s abundant shale resources.
And “When it comes to oil and gas job growth, Pennsylvania is tops,” as the Pittsburgh Business Times reports this week. According to Raymond James analysts, “between 2005 and 2012 almost 90 percent of the job growth in Pennsylvania at that time came from oil and gas jobs in the upstream and midstream.” This is a staggering economic impact – that is positively impacting every inch of the Commonwealth – by any measure.
Likewise, businesses large and small, as well as consumers, from across the nation are increasingly leveraging America’s abundant, clean-burning natural gas resources to meet our growing energy and transportation demands.
Here’s what they are saying about these positive advancements:
- UPS Increases Use of “Environmentally Friendly, Economically Viable” Natural Gas: Package shipping giant UPS Inc. is expanding the fuel-efficiency of its trucking fleet, and part of that effort will include building a new Liquefied Natural Gas fueling station at its Maumee cargo facility. The facility will be ready by next May, and it is among nine new LNG stations Atlanta-based UPS is building in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas. … In a tractor-trailer fleet, LNG enables a vehicle to go farther on the same volume of fuel. UPS has already purchased 1,000 LNG-fueled tractor-trailers. …“The UPS strategy is both environmentally friendly and economically viable. (Toldeo Blade, 10/16/13)
- GM Chairman and CEO: “Natural Gas Can Transform our Economy and Raise our Standard of Living”: Natural gas powertrains are one of the areas where we have increased investment because we believe the technology can satisfy the “green” needs of both the environment and stockholders. … Using more natural gas can transform our economy and raise our standard of living. … Natural gas makes business sense. … That’s why GM has introduced a range of vans and pickups that use CNG. … I am proud to announce today that Chevrolet is going to launch America’s best car…powered by America’s fuel. Next summer, we will offer the groundbreaking Chevrolet Impala with an engine that can switch seamlessly from CNG to gasoline. … This is our first, best and perhaps only chance to create a new consumer-driven national energy policy from a position of strength and abundance. (Release, 10/16/13)
- GM to “Fully and Safely” Utilize U.S. Shale Reserves with New CNG Impala: GM’s product lineup now includes natural gas vans and it recently said it plans to offer bi-fuel versions of its 2015 full-size pickups. … But slick new redesigned Impala could have advantages that could bring greater acceptance. … The Bi-Fuel Impala will switch automatically to gasoline when the natural gas tank (which holds the CNG equivalent of eight gallons of gasoline) is depleted. … The announcement was made by GM CEO Dan Akerson at the nonpartisan Securing America’s Future Energy conference looking at U.S. oil dependence 40 years after the OPEC embargo. “We know that U.S. energy security won’t come from a one-off moonshot,” Akerson said. “It will flow from our systematic investment in technology and innovation.” (USA Today, 10/16/13)
- “GM to Offer Impalas that Run on CNG”: Unlike some cars that are retrofitted with natural gas tanks, the Impala is factory-engineered, GM said, with a “powertrain that switches seamlessly from CNG to gasoline.” … Akerson introduced the new vehicle Wednesday before the nonpartisan Securing America’s Future Energy group to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1973 oil embargo. He has made increased natural gas use a key part of what he sees as a cohesive national energy policy. “Natural gas powertrains are one of the areas where we have increased investment because we believe the technology can satisfy the ‘green’ needs of both the environment and stockholders,” Akerson said. (Detroit Free Press, 10/16/13)
- Lowe’s Launches Truck Fleet Powered by Domestic Natural Gas: Lowe’s is switching its distribution trucks to natural gas in a long-term play that the Mooresville company believes will save on fuel costs. … Steve Palmer, Lowe’s vice president of transportation, says his goal is to have all trucks converted within four years. “Given the amount of natural gas that’s available domestically, broadly utilizing natural gas will give us an opportunity to better control our transportation fuel costs in the coming years,” he says. Lowe’s works with the owners of its dedicated fleet of trucks to convert them to liquefied natural gas. … “We started on this journey approximately three years ago, and this was the perfect scenario to roll out our first natural gas fleet,” says Ike Brown, NFI owner and vice chairman. (Charlotte Business Journal, 10/17/13)
- Lowe’s Focused on Air Quality, Cost Savings with Clean-Burning LNG: As part of its continued commitment to promote responsible transportation practices and sustainable technologies, Lowe’s today announced it has launched a dedicated fleet of natural gas-powered trucks at its regional distribution center in Mount Vernon, Texas. Lowe’s dedicated fleet at Mount Vernon is among the first serving a major retail distribution center in North America to run solely on natural gas. … Lowe’s expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 20 percent and control fuel costs as it transports up to 68 truckloads each day to stores in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. “The transition to an NG-powered fleet was a natural step for Lowe’s because of the economic and environmental benefits of natural gas,” said Steve Palmer, Lowe’s vice president of transportation. “Given the amount of natural gas that’s available domestically, broadly utilizing natural gas will give us an opportunity to better control our transportation fuel costs in the coming years.” (Release, 10/17/13)
- Pittsburgh-Based PITT OHIO Fires up its Natural Gas Engine : Pitt Ohio, a Pittsburgh, PA-based less-than-truckload, supply chain, ground and truckload services provider, is testing its first natural gas truck in its fleet. … “Mack is pleased that Pitt Ohio is working with us to test natural gas technology in their fleet,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. “Our natural gas-powered Mack Pinnacle offers the same durability and reliability that customers equate with the Mack name, along with an environmental benefit and fuel savings for our customers.” … “Mack’s commitment to Pitt Ohio as a customer, along with their confidence in the product, made choosing Mack to manufacture our first exclusively natural gas-powered tractor an easy decision. Pitt Ohio prides itself on being an environmentally conscious transportation provider, and we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, not only in our fleet but throughout the entire company.” (Fleet Owner, 10/18/13)
- PITT OHIO Tests Natural Gas-Powered MACK Truck: Mack Trucks announced today that PITT OHIO is testing a natural gas-powered MACK® Pinnacle Axle Back model in its fleet, the first natural gas truck in the company’s operations. … “Mack is pleased that PITT OHIO is working with us to test natural gas technology in their fleet,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. … The fuel-efficient Mack Pinnacle can be configured to run on both CNG and liquefied natural gas (LNG). PITT OHIO is just the most recent customer to utilize Mack natural gas solutions in its fleet. UPS, a global leader in logistics that offers a broad range of solutions for the transportation of packages and freight, recently ordered 122 LNG-powered Mack Pinnacle models. Mack also offers natural gas-powered MACK® TerraPro®. (Release, 10/17/13)
- Charleston, SC Trash Hauler Invests in “Cleaner, Safer and More Efficient” CNG Vehicles: A large trash-pickup business has replaced 53 of its…trucks in the Charleston region with new haulers that run on cleaner compressed natural gas. Republic Services Inc. said today that the switch “represents a significant local investment in cleaner, safer and more efficient vehicles.” The company said it also installed a natural gas fueling station for the new fleet of solid-waste trucks. “We believe it is our responsibility to reduce ozone-forming emissions wherever possible,” said James Amick, the company’s president for the Charleston area. Nationwide, Phoenix-based Republic Services said it now has 1,400 natural-gas vehicles and 26 fueling stations. (Post and Courier, 10/17/13)
- “New Fleet Of Natural Gas Powered Trucks Arrives In Charleston” Republic Services, Inc. today announced the deployment of 53 CNG solid waste and recycling trucks to serve customers throughout the Charleston metro area. … “We believe it is our responsibility to reduce ozone-forming emissions wherever possible,” said James Amick, area president of Republic Services. … Republic installed a natural gas fueling station to support its new fleet of CNG powered trucks in Charleston. … According to the U.S. EPA, each new CNG solid waste and recycling truck reduces ozone-forming emissions by as much as 80 percent. … In addition, each new CNG truck deployed is equivalent to removing five passenger vehicles from local roads for one year, or to adding 600 mature trees into the local environment. (Release, 10/17/13)
To learn more about of the positive economic, environmental and global benefits tied to responsible shale development – and it’s many uses – please watch our new web video, “Then and Now” and be sure to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
