Key Issues - Marcellus Shale

Resources

On July 22, 2011, the 30-member Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission released its final report with 96 policy recommendations.  Governor Corbett appointed the Commission in March to develop recommendations on all aspects of natural gas drilling.  The Commission held 20 public meetings where the body heard from 60 experts and 100 citizens.  In addition, the Commission received more than 650 e-mails and letters from the public and visited well sites and related-businesses in formulating its recommendations.  The 96 recommendations include tougher regulations for drilling, creating jobs in related industries and promoting the use of natural gas.  To view a copy of the Commission’s final report, click here.  A summary of the report can be found here.

Taxation of Natural Gas Industry (2010-11 Budget Fact Sheet)

In May 2010, the Marcellus Shale Coalition announced an update of a study originally released in 2009 on the economic impact of the Marcellus Shale natural gas play in Pennsylvania.  The industry-funded study, The Economic Impacts of the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play:  An Update, indicates that the natural gas formation could help create an additional 212,000 new jobs over the next 10 years and generate $1.8 billion in state and local tax revenue over the next 18 months.

A July 2010 report financed by the American Petroleum Institute concluded that industries related to Marcellus Shale drilling activity in Pennsylvania and West Virginia could generate $1 billion a year in taxes and indirectly support 100,000 jobs during the next decade as investments filter through the economy.  For a copy of the American Petroleum Institute Study, click here. 

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council released a report in July 2010 calling for swift action in new regulations and greater oversight of drilling and extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale Formation.  The report entitled, Developing the Marcellus Shale, includes a number of specific legislative and regulatory changes the group believes should be made to minimize the risk of accidents, environmental damage, and public health hazards stemming from drilling operations. 

A July 2009 report entitled An Emerging Giant:  Prospects and Economic Impacts of Developing the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play released by the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering in Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences finds that the Marcellus gas industry in Pennsylvania generated $2.3 billion in total value added, more than 29,000 jobs, and $240 million in state and local taxes during 2008.  The study also provides information on the future economic benefits of the development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas and the impact of a severance tax.

In April 2009, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center released a report on Governor Rendell’s proposal to impose a severance tax on the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale play entitled Responsible Growth:  Protecting the Public Interest with a Natural Gas Severance Tax.  In contrast to the opposition to the tax by industry officials who argue the levy will negatively impact the developing industry and its economic benefits to Pennsylvania’s citizens, this report supports the tax.

Chief Oil and Gas, LLC has developed an interactive, 3-D drilling rig to explain the various component parts of the rig and their purpose.  The Chief Oil and Gas website and the interactive drilling rig can be accessed here. 

Natural Gas Production from the Marcellus Shale (2008 Policy Office Issue Brief)

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marcellus Shale Information page answers frequently asked questions regarding the Marcellus Shale Gas Play.

The PA Department of Environmental Protection Marcellus Shale Information page includes FAQs, fact sheets, educational links, maps, industry resources, agency links and contacts.

PA Senate Majority Policy Committee  Public Hearings on Marcellus Shale.

PA House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Presentation on the Marcellus Shale.

The Delaware River Basin Commission Natural Gas Drilling in the Marcellus Shale Formation page provides background and information about DRBC’s involvement with the Marcellus Shale issue.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission Marcellus Shale and Natural Gas Well Development page includes regulatory information, SRBC resources, press releases, and related links.

The Penn State University Cooperative Extension Natural Gas Impacts page includes information about the Marcellus Shale formation and the impact of natural gas.

geology.com: Marcellus Shale: News, Videos, Maps, Lease and Royalty Information.

The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development page includes Marcellus Shale studies, including ones focused on northeastern Pennsylvania.

The PA Marcellus Shale Committee page: The Marcellus Shale: Energy to Fuel Our Future. The committee includes members of the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association and the Independent Oil and Gas Association of Pennsylvania.

ShaleBlog.com  Marcellus Shale News.