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Posts tagged "Steubenville"

The Sunday Shale Show: Guest Ed Looman, Executive Director for Progress Alliance

Sunday, November 25th, 2012 | 0 Comments

For the Sunday Shale Show Energy In Depth- Ohio sat down with Ed Looman, Executive Director of Progress Alliance in Jefferson County.

It has been almost a year since ABC News focused on Jefferson County benefiting from the new development of the Utica Shale in Ohio.  Since that time, much has changed, and Progress Alliance has been on the front lines of attracting new businesses associated with shale development to this once-bustling steel town.

Mr. Looman shared his thoughts on how positive expanding shale development has been for the area, and how it has helped attract over a dozen new businesses over the past year.

From the end of January to the end of October we have a thousand more people from Jefferson County working and the bulk of those jobs have been created by the shale industry.- Ed Looman, Executive Director of Progress Alliance

Not only has Jefferson County residents seen an increase in jobs but Mr. Looman also noted that Jefferson County has also had an increase in sales tax revenue by 14% since January.  That is a much needed economic growth for a county in a convalescing economy.

Things are looking up for Jefferson County, a community that endured a 15% unemployment rate just two years ago.  As shale development continues to increase, the region will continue to gain new businesses and increase revenue thanks to people like Ed Looman and organizations like Progress Alliance.

Energy in Depth – Ohio thanks Mr. Looman for his efforts, and for joining us on The Sunday Shale Show. We look forward to continuing to work with those working directly or indirectly with the oil and gas industry to provide in-depth analysis of what’s taking place in Ohio (and beyond), and what it means for our communities and our state.

Stay tuned for The Sunday Shale Show next week!

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Utica Shale Development Raising Hope in Jefferson County

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Jefferson County next to Carroll County (literally and figuratively) has had the eyes of Ohio, as well as the nation, focused on the  opportunities created here by Utica Shale development.  Jefferson County is the 4th highest permitted county in Ohio with 25 Utica permits per Ohio Department of Natural Resources and hosts one of the highest producing wells in the state.

The Brown 10H well in Jefferson County achieved a peak rate of approximately 1,445 barrels of oil equivalent per day, which included 8.7 million mcf of natural gas per day.  But a good well isn’t the only thing Jefferson County needs to be proud of.

In the past year unemployment has dropped from 11.2% to 10.2%.  They have attracted over 11 new companies projected to provide over 500 jobs thanks to shale development. In addition to hotels and restaurants, local companies like M&M True Value Hardware and Voto Manufacturer’s Sales Company are seeing the benefits from increased activity in the Utica Shale.

As the activity level continues to grow, it keeps organizations like Progress Alliance busy trying to encourage companies to locate in Jefferson County.  Thankfully they have a committed staff to help usher these new companies into the area.

But Jefferson County doesn’t want to stop at attracting businesses just by word of mouth.  Recently Progress Alliance just finished a 48-page marketing guide in conjunction with the Community Improvement Corporation to show interested companies why Jefferson County is a great place to live, work and play.

“We’re seeing an influx of new jobs, new wealth, new business and new residents, so the timing of this new marketing guide touting Jefferson County is ideal. I think we have a marketing piece now that speaks to so many positive things in Jefferson County – the educational opportunities we have here, our work force training, success stories from local businesses and health care, testimonials from some of our new companies. It’s all about why Jefferson County is a great place to do business.”- Ed Looman - Executive Director, Progress Alliance

There is also the potential for very promising space that has just opened up due to the recent sale of the now defunct RG Steel property in Steubenville.  The 103 acre parcel at Third and Bates streets sold to Wheeling-based River Rail Development LLC. During the sale, Progress Alliance fielded calls from several shale-related companies interested in leasing the property or portions of the property from Strauss.

And what makes this property so intriguing to those in the Shale supply chain is the location of both river and rail access.  That is a perfect combination to make the property very attractive to businesses looking to find a new home in Ohio.

As you can see Jefferson County is on the up and up, all with a little help from Utica Shale development.  As companies move in, unemployment will continue to decline and more people will look to locate to the anointed burb of the ‘burgh.

Carroll and Jefferson Counties are only the tip of the iceberg when discussing the incredible opportunities that Utica Shale has begun to offer Ohio and Ohioans.  With continued development, we will continue to see the same effect progress from county to county in Eastern Ohio bringing increased revenue for counties and opportunities for their residents and businesses.

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Ohio’s Shale Revolution Fuels Job Creation

Friday, April 27th, 2012 | 1 Comment

With vast, untold resources thousands of feet below the surface, Ohio is experiencing an industrial renaissance that’s reigniting the state’s manufacturing base and growing the economy. Across the state, we are seeing ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new manufacturing facilities, expansion projects, and hiring announcements due to shale activity. The Utica Shale’s potential is having a direct and immediate impact in job creation, which inturn has revitalized industries and communities across the state.

An eye opening report by ABC News denotes Steubenville, a city long suffering with unemployment rates far beyond the national average, has experienced a resurgence in employment. This past year, the oil and gas industry has created more than 300 new jobs, with more than 10,000 expected in the next three years. According to the ABC News report, if jobs continue to grow at this pace, every adult in Steubenville could be working by April 2015.

Just up the road from Steubenville, MAC Trailer has added nearly 300 employees this past year.  The company manufactures in Alliance and Salem, and having recently cut the ribbon on a new manufacturing facility in Kent, they’re expanding operations in order to meet the demands created by the increasing development of the Utica Shale.

In hard-hit Youngstown, we are seeing the same kind ofeconomic growth. V&M Star is creating 350 jobs, which represents the largest private investment in 50 years.

And just this week, the New York Times reported on how shale activity is boosting jobs in Ohio. Timken Company, a steel company in Canton, is expanding their operations to meet the demands created by shale activity. Timken’s growth will lead to the creation of 630 manufacturing jobs.

Ohioans can expect this trend to continue. According to a 2011 impact study by Klienhenz and Associates, Ohioans will see more than 200,000 new jobs by 2015. Future job projections by PricewaterhouseCoopers show shale activity will grow the manufacturing industry nationwide by approximately one million workers between 2025 and 2035. Furthermore, shale gas may reduce manufacturing costs by $11.6 billion by 2025.

The state’s ability to develop the manufacturing industry has contributed to the decrease in Ohio’s unemployment rate to 7.5 percent today down from a 10.6 percent peak in December 2009. Plain and simple, theUtica shale has renewed America’s manufacturing competiveness and is putting people back to work.

Ohio’s best days are ahead of us, and the state’s success will be determined by the environmental, regulatory, and tax structure put in place by all levels of government. Government cannot create jobs, but government can help create an environment that attracts job creators and allows them to hire workers, and rejuvenate the manufacturing sector.

Our forefathers said states are meant to be laboratories for experimentation for better governance. In this case, Ohio has proven it can spur an economic recovery in a responsible and safe manner.

Congressman Robert “Bob” Latta is currently serving his third term in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Latta currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, including the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Environment and the Economy, and Health.

Be sure to follow Congressman Latta on twitter! @BobLatta

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Moving Forward Together in Jefferson County

Thursday, March 29th, 2012 | 1 Comment

Henry Ford once said “if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

His words pretty much sum up what has transpired in Jefferson County since we first learned of the potential growth possible through the development of the Utica Shale.

About a year ago, county leaders began touring communities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges heading our way. These visits helped us all realize the importance of teamwork and cooperation as we worked to properly prepare.

Local efforts began when the Jefferson County commissioners stepped forward and created a road use maintenance agreement. The agreement is working here and already a major drilling company has invested millions to repair county and township roads.

Our commissioners also created a countywide oil and gas committee, designed to examine the industry and its impact. The committee has focused on issues related to education and communications and made has made major strides.

Jefferson County Connections, our one stop employment center, has developed a workshop designed to brief residents on employment in the industry. Eastern Gateway Community College stepped forward and began offering formalized training for those looking to obtain employment in the oil and gas area.

Progress Alliance, the public-private economic development organization, and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce teamed up to present three programs on oil and gas, all designed to educate the local business community about what is coming and how local business can benefit.

Thus, as you can tell, everyone in Jefferson County has been, and continues to be, moving forward together.

The activity level related to oil and gas development continues to increase. My organization has worked with more than 30 companies in recent months, all looking to establish operations here thanks to the opportunities from shale. Several have found space and several others are wrapping up negotiations.

Jobs are being created, investments are being made. In addition, the area is drawing interest from retailers and hotel developers.

Our county is moving closer and closer to realizing what has been called “a once in a century opportunity.” Many organizations have worked hard to properly prepare and now we are beginning to realize success.

We, of course, realize there are issues related to the growth and the industry. At the same time, however, we know what this opportunity means for us. Our region of Ohio has struggled for years. We have a real chance through the shale industry that we simply cannot miss.

Working together does indeed work. Many Jefferson County organizations have moved forward as one and the early results tell us we have done the right thing.

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Experts Tout Shale at Steubenville Congressional Subcommittee Hearing

Thursday, March 1st, 2012 | 0 Comments

The once quiet town of Steubenville has sprung to life over the past 6 months earning statewide, and national, fame for the astounding economic growth happening there.  Just a few years ago the town faced an all but certain rust-belt future until Utica Shale development changed that dynamic.  Now, in just the past few months, the Town was highlighted on ABC News, hosted the first State of the State Address outside of Columbus and this week hosted a field hearing of  the U.S.  House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Oversight.

The hearing, “Natural Gas- America’s New Energy Opportunity: Creating Jobs, Energy and Community Growth”, featured industry experts as well as Congressmen Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Glenn Thompson (R-PA.), and Ohio’s Bill Johnson (R-Ohio).

While many items were discussed, the primary highlight was the tremendous economic opportunities shale development is bringing to Ohio and the nation.

While Ohio has yet to realize all the benefits the Utica Shale will bring, Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson has the advantage of experience as his state has been developing the Marcellus Shale since 2004.  He touched on this briefly during his comments:

Hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas shale formations has unlocked previously inaccessible and vast new energy supplies which has lowered energy costs in regions across the country, including in my home state of Pennsylvania and here in Ohio, offering new incentives for more businesses to locate their operations here in the U.S. and new economic fortune and added jobs to our local communities, said Thompson.

He’s not kidding, in Pennsylvania latest statistics from the Department of Labor show that 229,000 people – almost 2% of the state’s population- are employed either directly, or indirectly, from the development of the Marcellus Shale.

That said, the real highlight was stories from home-grown Ohioans discussing how their businesses have prospered, thanks to the development of the Utica Shale.

Jack Pounds, President of Ohio’s Chemistry Technology Council, presented good news from the chemical industry. Pounds noted that the chemical industry was in a state of low to no growth over the last decade. Now with shale exploration, the situation for the industry has changed, according to Pounds:

With the emergence of Ohio’s vast shale gas reserves onto the scene, it is my belief that Ohio’s chemical industry is about to experience a renaissance

Mr. Pounds isn’t wrong in his predictions.  A recent study commissioned by the American Chemistry Council found that shale development is set to create 400,000 jobs, generate $132.4 billion in new economic output and send nearly $43.9 billion to state, federal and local governments in the form of new tax revenue.

While Jack Pounds talked about what is coming, Roland “Butch” Taylor talked about what he is already seeing in Youngstown:

Our Local went from close to 40% unemployment two years ago, to full employment, with over 440 traveling members from the United Association from all over the country working in our jurisdiction at one time. And no lay-offs are in the future.

Mr. Taylor’s local is so busy a coworker asked if he was having headaches from all of the work. His reply was simple; I would rather handle the headaches than the heartaches that we have experienced these past few years when there were no opportunities.

Mr. Taylor closed with a quick note what a moratorium on development would mean to the hard-working men and women of his Union.

There have been a few elected officials wanting to place a moratorium on this industry. I feel that this would be a travesty, especially considering the growth that we have experienced already, and the drilling process has not even started yet.

Also appearing before the panel was Ed Looman, Executive Director of Progress Alliance.  Looman highlighted the never before seen levels of economic growth being experienced in Stubenville thanks to Utica Shale development.

We either have or are working with more than 35 companies looking to move here as part of the shale experience.

This is what is waiting for cities and towns up and down eastern Ohio. Opportunities that we never thought we would see again. Shale production is just beginning and places are already seeing the positives from the development.

Of course, any mention of positive impacts being accrued from shale development will draw some detractors.  This woman attempted to interrupt the event but her efforts fizzled as those in attendance know the truth.  Shale development is being conducted safely, and responsibly, providing jobs for thousands of Ohioans and potentially hundreds of thousands more in the coming year.

This likely won’t be the last event in Steubensville given the significant growth occurring in the town thanks to the Utica Shale.  Perhaps the next time the Subcommittee visits they will be able to visit a completely restored Grand Theatre thanks to the continued benefits Utica Shale development will bring.


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Ohio Energy Future Defined by Opportunity, Not Politics

Friday, February 24th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Earlier this month, Ohio Governor John Kasich spoke on the need to work together, Republicans and Democrats alike, to ensure the success of Ohio’s shale development and the return to economic prosperity it will provide.

On the energy piece of this, we’re going to have to work together collaboratively, and we have been. Democrats and Republicans understand the big picture here… – Governor John Kasich, State of the State address, 2/7/12

Ditto President Obama. Last month, during the State of the Union address, the president emphasized the incredible potential shale plays all across the country have in the abundant supply of energy and the enormous positive impact it will have in creating new jobs and rejuvenating the economy.

We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years…and my administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy. – President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address, 1/25/12

This is an opportunity we all share in. A rising tide lifts all ships, right?

But as you may have noticed, it’s an election year. And in good ol’ American tradition, politics is now being injected into every issue and every public conversation out there. Energy development, it seems, and the economic revitalization it is providing, is not immune to this. We can see it nationally, and we can see it at home here in Ohio.

Recently, there has been great effort by activist groups (and, in some cases the media) who would like to characterize or create such a simplistic divide as ‘Right vs Left’ or ‘Republican vs Democrat’ in the greater conversation of energy development; Gasland’s Josh Fox has attempted to lay the blame of his recent arrest at the feet of house Republicans, in spite of the fact that it was a direct result of his failure to follow proper house protocol. Ohio Representative Bob Hagan has tried to tie recent seismic events in Youngstown to the current Republican administration. He even bussed in protestors to the recent State of the State speech to disrupt the annual address. CBS and local anti-energy activist groups have made an attempt, successful in some instances in Ohio, to co-opt the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement into the opposition to oil and gas development.

But it’s not that simple.

I’ve recently spoken with both the Mansfield Tea Party and the Occupy Mansfield groups, and can tell you while there may be deep ideological differences between the two, many of the sentiments on Ohio energy development remain the same. The Occupy group did not inherently oppose energy exploration, nor did the Tea Party group blindly support it. I was invited to speak on the facts by the leadership of both organizations. And I heard the same questions at both events. Surely, there were some folks who had already come with predisposed opinions, but those were not the same ones I came to address. More importantly, they weren’t the ones who came to listen.

Having been to “both sides” of the “aisle” I can tell you – this is not how the opportunity the development of our homegrown resources is defined.

We have a chance to return our state to days of prosperity we have not seen in generations. Shale development has saved Ohio consumers billions on energy costs, brought manufacturing back to places where it has been long dormant for decades, dropped unemployment rates in long depressed regions, and lifted communities that have endured great hardship.

And we are just beginning this journey.

No, this conversation is defined in opportunity; it is an opportunity for our labor force, our unemployed, our college graduates to find work here at home. It’s an opportunity to provide our returning veterans with one of the greatest thanks we can give – an ability to provide for themselves and their families with a good paying job. The conversation we are having here in Ohio is of too great importance to simplify with one word or to characterize as one side vs. the other.

While we are inundated with political and divisive rhetoric from now till next November, let’s leave it at the door when it comes to Ohio’s energy and economic future.

All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual. - Albert Einstein

 

 

 

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Governor Kasich Highlights Shale Impact on Jobs, Manufacturing Industry

Friday, February 10th, 2012 | 1 Comment

When I came to Ohio State in 1970, we were the promised land and somehow we drifted. We lost 600,000 in the last 10 years, 600,000 jobs gone, 400,000 jobs gone in the last four years, 400,000 families. One third of our college students were leaving the state within three years of graduation. They’re finding their destiny somewhere else. Who can blame them? If there is nothing happening here, they’re going – and I don’t blame them. – Governor John Kasich, State of the State address, 2/7/12

There’s something happening here.

Back in October, ABC News stopped by Steubenville, Ohio to gain a little insight on the positive impacts Utica Shale development is having in the region.  They found a city, and state, on the verge of renaissance.  This was not lost on Ohio Governor John Kasich during his State of the State Address.  For the first time in Ohio’s history, the Governor held the address outside of the capital city of Columbus, this time heading to Steubenville to provide these remarks.

We applaud the Governor for this choice.  After all, why not Steubenville? This old steel-town has become a visible embodiment of Ohio’s potential revitalization.

It is home to the Wells Academy the top rated elementary school in the state.  Education was one focus of the Governor’s remarks. The other: jobs. More specifically, job creation.

The people in Eastern Ohio, and especially Steubenville, know very well the promise our state’s natural resources can provide, and what the development of our state’s natural gas resources has meant for rebuilding the workforce here.

Just look at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce website. If you scroll down just a bit, you’ll notice there is an entire section devoted to oil & gas  information and the jobs that come with it.

In his remarks the Governor highlighted that last year Ohio was 48th in the nation for job creation.  This year it ranks 9th.  Just a few breaths away from that comment, the Governor announced that Markwest is locating three facilities on Ohio.  One of them just 20 miles down the road in Harrison County.  These will require 700 construction jobs to complete and will offer many well-paying full-time jobs as well as $500 billion in investment to the region.

The development of shale is having a positive impact in other industries as well, namely in manufacturing.

Moms and dads, stop telling your kids that they shouldn’t try to get a job in manufacturing. Manufacturing is coming back. Encourage your people, your kids. If God made them to make things, let them make things. 

It’s coming back because of our workforce, because of our location, because of our ability to move things. It’s coming back to Ohio.  – Governor John Kasich, State of the State address, 2/7/12

It’s happening all across the Mahoning Valley.  It’s happening in Youngstown, where there the long dormant steel industry is coming back to life thanks to shale. This is a great resurgence  highlighted by Governor Kasich:

V&M Star Steel in Youngstown, advanced manufacturing. What are they doing? It’s energy. Republic Steel is auto and maybe energy. Hey, don’t forget the human investments from United States Steel right up there next to that plant at Republic Steel. They believe in Ohio.

Listen to this, folks, I mean, I just don’t even – I can’t believe it. The unemployment rate in Youngstown has gone from 11.5 to 8.3 percent in the last year. The Mahoning Valley is alive again. And they deserve it.

Indeed they do Governor.

It has been just 5 months since Steubenville was featured on ABC News.  Since then a lot has changed for the better and the future only looks brighter.  I hope ABC makes another stop next October to see how much the area has progressed. In fact, dear reader, I hope you have an opportunity to stop in as well.

 

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Update: On Jobs, ABC World News Looks to Steubenville

Monday, December 19th, 2011 | 6 Comments

ABC World News recently set out to report on the state of American job creation asking a few pretty basic questions. Questions like: Where exactly are the jobs? What do folks have to do to get them? What do they pay? And what do we need to do to replicate that success elsewhere?

Well, as ABC News found out, the answer in  Ohio can be found in Steubenville — but that’s not the only place. You see, thanks to the responsible development of American energy from shale in the Buckeye State, communities across the eastern portion of the state are gearing up for an economic renaissance — with good-paying jobs, for real-people, producing an clean energy source, right here in Ohio.

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So why is this Ohio town the focus of an investigative report by a major news network?

New shale gas discoveries combined with technological advancements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have enabled production of natural gas reserves that were previously considered impossible to reach . A wealth of new reserves and American technological innovation have ushered in a revolution in shale development and, as a result, the creation of thousands of new American jobs and more than a hundred years worth of available, domestic natural gas. Development of shale gas in Steubenville – which sits atop the Utica Shale, one of the fastest growing resource basins in the country – has placed this former steel town on the map once again. And who knows? Just like we’ve seen up in Youngstown, perhaps the Utica will allow Steubenville to be a steel capital once again.

Please take a moment to watch the video from ABC News up above. Here below, we capture a few of the best quotes from the segment:

As Navy veteran and Ohio native Louis McGowan notes, “I just want to work. That’s about it, I want to work.” (2:53) Luckily for folks like Louis, shale production is answering this plea for jobs with thousands of new employment opportunities and renewed economic opportunities for local communities, in Ohio and throughout the United States. In neighboring Pennsylvania, Washington County – located in the heart of Marcellus Shale activity – recently posted the third highest job growth percentage growth among all counties across the entire nation. Williamsport, PA, came in registering as the seventh fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation. Oil production from the Eagle Ford shale in south Texas has sparked jobs growth in the region, while development of the Bakken shale in North Dakota has led the way in keeping that state’s unemployment rate the lowest in the country. With 100 years of proven reserves to date, American innovation has expanded America’s domestic energy capacity and will continue to provide for many years down the road.

What some may call a “boom,” we call a sustained and expanding future with more jobs, more public revenues, more economic growth, more energy security and more hope for generations to come. These are the real benefits of the shale revolution, not just in eastern Ohio, but indeed all across America. Kudos to ABC News for picking up on the beat — soon enough, it will be just about impossible to ignore.

 

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Progress Alliance Learns of Growth to Come

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 | 0 Comments

On Tuesday in Steubenville, the Progress Alliance led by Executive Director Ed Looman, hosted a luncheon at Froehlich’s Classic Corner for local officials and business leaders to discuss shale development in Jefferson County.  The featured speaker was Tom Murphy, Extension Educator and Co-Director of the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.  Mr. Murphy gave an in-depth overview of what has happened in Pennsylvania and what to expect in Jefferson County in regards to shale development which helped our local elected and business leaders understand howw to best capitalize on the safe and responsible development of the Utica Shale.

Mr. Murphy explained that shale exploration and production is now officially a worldwide phenomenon with exploration occurring in Europe, South America, South Africa, Asia and Australia.  The exciting part about shale being international is that it is only possible thanks to American ingenuity and technology. 

Despite the presence of shale throughout the globe, every play is different and Mr. Murphy believes that development of shale in Ohio will be similiar to the scale that existed in Pennsylvania.  In Pennsylvania the play started off relatively slowly with only 60 wells being developed in 2007.  Today, there are over a thousand active wells throughout the state with over 4,000 having been developed since exploration began there.  Much of that development has occured in Northeast PA because of the productiveness of the Marcellus ther and its close proximity to market.  However, the southwestern portion of the state has seen a significant uptick in activity recently as producers seek to develop wet gas, or gas with liquid hydrocarbons attached, due to the high price of oil and liquid fuels.   This is where much of the similiarity lies with Ohio’s shale as it is too is estimated to have an abundance of wet gas.  In his remarks, Mr. Murphy thought Ohio might take things one step further and experience a more rapid and expansive development of our resources. 

When Mr. Murphy declared that Ohio’s development could proceed at a faster pace and larger scope ears perked up and for good reason.  The production of abundant and clean burning natural gas is reviving our nation’s manufacturing sector, including the steel industry in Ohio, and is providing jobs for hundreds of thousands of Amercians.  One need look no further than North Dakota which has full employment with an unemployment rate of 3.5%,  nearly 18,000 job openings and a $1 billion budget surplus.

What will this new development mean to local communities?  Mr. Murphy noted that Williamsport , PAis now the 7th fastest growing city in the United States.  Not much sparking this other than natural gas.  Here at home, Steubenville, Ohio was just featured on ABC World News for the 300 jobs already brought to the community, not to mention the 10,000 more expected to be on the way.

To take full advantage of this opportunity, Mr. Murphy described how local businesses can make preparations by understanding the needs of natural gas companies who run on a 24 hour schedule and expect prompt service and response for needs that may arise at any time.  One thing is for sure, there will plenty of opportunities for everyone here in Ohio.  Mr. Murphy noted that it takes over 420 individuals in over 150 occupations to develop a natural gas well through its lifecylce.  

As Mr. Murphy’s presentation winded down, he asked the audience for questions.  A gentleman in the crowd asked him if he thought hydraulic fracturing was safe and if it would impact water supplies.  Mr. Murphy’s reply was simple.  There is a lot of fear being perpetuated but that fear is not backed by experience, science or facts.  Mr. Murphy noted that Penn State  recently conducted one of the most comprehensive drinking water impact studies in the nation.    The study confirmed statements made by U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and regulators in over 15 states that natural gas production does not, and has not,  impacted groundwater. 

The crowd of roughly a hundred people were treated to a great presentation thanks to Ed Looman, Executive Director of Progress Alliance.  Thanks to the opportunity our shale resources provide and local leaders like Mr. Looman, Ohio, and more specifically Jefferson County, is ready to prosper from the safe and responsible development of our shale resources.

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Liftoff! Congressman Bill Johnson on Ohio Utica Jobs Taking Off

Friday, November 4th, 2011 | 0 Comments

 As a retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel, Congressman Bill Johnson has seen his fair share of successful takeoffs. But, after 23 years of service, the greatest ascent he might witnesses may be still to come.  I’m talking, of course, about the potential hundreds of thousands of new jobs likely to be created by developing the Utica Shale – a large part  of which underlies the eastern portion of Ohio where the Congressman calls home.

These jobs will provide a tremendous lift to the state and the 6th district, which has already witnessed a growth in job creation from Utica development. The town of Steubenville, as reported by ABC World News and EID Ohio’s very own Shawn Bennett, has already seen more than 300 jobs created, and there are likely thousands more on the way as the play continues to develop and mature.  All of this is not lost on Congressman Johnson who commented on Utica development late last month.

This is another example of the beginning wave of prosperity for eastern and southeastern Ohio. The projections are of 10,000 new jobs here in the area for the next three years…We have an opportunity coming our way because of the Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling industry, said Congreesman Johnson (Rep. Johnson Tours Grand Theater, 10/29/11)

Following up on these earlier comments, on Wednesday Congressman Johnson again highlighted what Utica shale development will mean for our state, his district, and Ohio’s economy.  This time however the Congressman was appearing before a much larger audience when he appeared on Fox Business News  making comments like the one below.

Johnson: Everybody is on board, everybody is so very, very excited. We’re sitting on the world’s largest deposit, by most expert’s opinions, of natural gas, so we have a lot to look forward to. (00:29) 

 Rep. Johnson is well educated on the development process involved with natural gas exploration and production. When asked about the widely debunked scene in the movie Gasland, Mr. Johnson was quick and ready with the facts:

Bolling: “There was a documentary out a while ago that said you shouldn’t try to access gas this way, the fracking procedure…your faucet could catch on fire.” (00:58)

Johnson: It is not true. That is one of the biggest scare tactics environmentalists have in trying to stop us from going after this very, very powerful natural resource. Even the EPA administrator herself has acknowledge that in the history of fracking over the last 60 years, there has not been one single incidence where drinking water has been contaminated by the fracking process. These are just scare tactics. (1:03)

Here, of course, the Congressman is referring to the May 2010, testimony of EPA administrator Lisa Jackson, who delivered the following testimony to the U.S. Senate:

I am not aware of any proven case where the fracking process itself affected water, said Jackson.

In the interview the Congressman goes on to explain the great potential inherent in developing the state’s shale resources and what it means for job creation here:

Johnson: If you look at the Marcellus shale and Utica shale, by most experts opinion you are looking at 5.5 billion barrels of oil, sitting right there underneath Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and again that’s a lot to be excited about. It represents jobs coming to the area. (2:11)

Boller: “Those numbers are massive – those numbers would compete with some of the Middle-East countries as far as oil reserves.” (2:37)

Johnson: Absolutely. Take a look at Steubenville alone – the little town of Steubenville – over 300 jobs created already, ten thousands of new high paying jobs expected over the next three years, and estimates are that anyone in Steubenville, Ohio, which has been decimated by lost of manufacturing, anyone who wants a job can have one by next April.  (2:44)

Needless to say, with such rich potential for the state of Ohio and the fine folks in the 6th district, anyone interested in a return to prosperity is working hard to make Ohio a leader in the development and production of clean burning natural gas to encourage the economic growth it brings.  Congressman Johnson is doing just that:

“I’m going to be working hard to make sure what happens here in eastern and southeastern Ohio is a permanent change of the landscape in terms of job creation,” (Oil And Gas Forum Held At EGCC, 10/21/11)

Editors note: If you missed it, watch the ABC World News’ coverage on Steubenville below, and be sure to check out Bennett’s article, On Jobs, ABC World News Looks to Steubenville. 

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