Energy infrastructure is the safest, most reliable form of connecting consumers, manufacturers, and power generators across our region to affordable, abundant natural gas. Some, however, such as Sen. Andy Dinniman, continue to make false claims that are wildly out-of-touch with hard-working, blue collar Pennsylvanians.
Investments in pipelines are putting tens of thousands of laborers and steamfitters across the Commonwealth to work while delivering huge savings to consumers and manufacturers alike. PECO customers in Sen. Dimniman’s region have seen natural gas prices decrease by almost 70% – representing nearly $1,400 in annual household savings – due to in-state natural gas production and the pipeline infrastructure that safely delivers these abundant resources to end-users.
In fact, Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support energy development and expanding the infrastructure needed to move gas to market.
Here are five – of the many – ways energy infrastructure is benefitting the Commonwealth.
- Manufacturing Jobs Resurgence: According to a recent analysis by McKinsey & Company, Pennsylvania could see a $60 billion increase in gross domestic product over the next decade and over 100,000 more jobs, the majority of which would fall in the manufacturing sector, if the Commonwealth continues to expand energy development, related infrastructure, and end-use opportunities.
- Consumer Energy Savings: Thanks to locally produced natural gas, consumers throughout the Commonwealth are realizing a 70 percent reduction, on average, in energy costs since 2008. Additional infrastructure capacity will connect abundant, affordable energy to even more consumers throughout the Commonwealth.
- Good-Paying Pennsylvania Jobs: According to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study, natural gas development supports more than 320,000 jobs and contributes $45 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy. The study found that for every job generated in the oil and gas industry an additional 2.7 jobs were produced throughout the U.S. economy.
- Strengthens Building Trade Unions: “Shale has become a new economic engine for our state, supporting energy infrastructure projects that have brought new opportunity to thousands of residents, and increased the energy independence of our entire country. These projects are not just pipelines. They are also a lifeline to family-supporting jobs,” LiUNA’s Dennis Martire wrote in a guest column for the Delaware County Daily Times. Click HERE to read about the key partnership between labor unions and energy development.
- Environmental Progress: Thanks to the production and greater use of clean-burning natural gas, the United States leads the world in carbon emission reductions. As LiUNA’s Dennis Martire wrote in a Post-Gazette column, “When pipelines carry natural gas, they reduce carbon emissions and global warming. And the pipeline industry supports thousands of family-sustaining jobs. “
BONUS: The Charleston Gazette-Mail, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star recently issued editorials touting the benefits of natural gas infrastructure for creating jobs and delivering energy savings.
Charleston Gazette-Mail: “[T]he pipelines and the approximately 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day they will add to the nation’s energy market will keep downward pressure on energy prices — helping ensure the price for natural gas used in homes, businesses and power-generating stations will stay competitive.”
Richmond Times-Dispatch: “The case against the pipelines rests more on hysteria than fact.”
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star: “Using clean-burning natural gas to produce electricity has obvious environmental benefits…new natural gas pipelines are needed now to keep power flowing in the future.”
Join the energy infrastructure conversation on Twitter with #TimeToBuild and learn more about the benefits of energy development and infrastructure on the MSC’s blog.
