Pittsburgh’s 2014-2015 Coro Fellows in Public Affairs and Director of Training and Learning Development, Mary C. Parker (second from left), met with Governor Tom Wolf (D - center) during State Affairs Week.
Each year, Pittsburgh’s Coro Fellows visit our state capital, Harrisburg, PA, to learn more about the intersection of local and state-level concerns. They have the opportunity to meet with numerous stakeholders and decision-makers that provide them access and insight into policy-making. State Affairs Week 2015 was held from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20. During that time, Fellows split into working groups to focus on particular issues relevant to their goals and work. The shale gas group, whose reflections are below, included:
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| Andrea Elcock | Alex Hanson | Ruth Spurlock Kim, Post Author | Ryann Tanap |
As the number two producer of shale gas in the country after Texas, Pennsylvania plays a central role in U.S. energy production. And with such a large stake in the industry, shale gas is a powerhouse of political and economic influence in the state.
As we explored the debate around shale gas in Pennsylvania, our team identified complex interactions between key stakeholders. Stakeholders influence each other in many different ways, but again and again, we heard about the power of money — to create jobs, sway politicians, win elections, and implement or impede effective regulation.
Money flows from the shale gas industry to the state government in the form of impact fees, a special tax levied per well. In theory, this fee goes back into the community where the well is located, to help offset the impact the well has on the community. The reality is hazier.
More money would flow into the general fund from the industry in the form of Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) proposed severance tax. The general fund keeps the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) running. In the recent economic downturn, many staff were cut from other offices in the DEP, while the Office of Oil and Gas grew. And yet, that office still lacks the funding needed to digitize its record-keeping, a short term cost that would yield incredible long-term efficiencies and savings.
But the cyclical flow of money from the industry to the government to the agencies that regulate the industry is a system diagnosis that was not unexpected. What surprised us the most was the contrast between the extremes expressed by the media and the relative middle ground held by all the stakeholders we met with in Harrisburg.
Documentaries like Gasland and Fracknation portray an unambiguous battle between an industry that only exploits the environment and activists who focus on pure conservation of the environment. Media and scientific reporting that showed a middle ground was hard to find as we researched the topic before traveling to Harrisburg. But in Harrisburg we found most people — legislators, regulators, environmental groups, and business advocates — struck a “common sense” balance.
They recognize that the world we live in currently demands electricity, which is supplied by natural gas, and that natural gas is a far cleaner alternative to coal, our state’s first energy resource. Everyone we met with sees a future with electric cars at the end of the tunnel. But they all acknowledge the reality of regulating the natural gas industry that powers our lifestyle today.
Where is the leverage point for young leaders such as Coro Fellows? We believe it’s in raising questions about what will lead to the long-term electric-car-driven future everyone seems to want. We are committed to sharing honest information about the shale gas industry with our peers. We also advocate for calling state representatives, letting them know that we are here and about the future we want.
Editor’s Notes: This post has received edits from Outreach Manager, Sarah Miller. Any opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily the views held by the Coro Center for Civic Leadership (“Coro Pittsburgh”). However, we welcome our partners to share stories with – and through – us. If you are interested in making a blog post, please contact Outreach Manager Sarah Miller at smiller@coropittsburgh.org.