LETTER Mariner East has been great for SW Pa
The Mariner East 1 (ME1) project, which originates in Washington County, has been great for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Our local workforce was given stable, high-paying vocational jobs, with no college degree necessary, for the bulk of the positions. The pipes for Mariner East 1 were produced at U.S. Steel’s McKeesport facility, and they were coated at the Dura-Bond facility in Duquesne.
We need more projects like this in our region, which is undergoing revitalization. This is an area forged from steel that has the opportunity to reach back to its manufacturing roots and experience an economic rebirth. Projects like Mariner East connect consumers to lower energy prices, attract businesses to the commonwealth, and support great jobs and strong business growth.
The economic boom of Mariner East isn’t over with the completion of ME1, which began shipping propane in December 2014, serving local and regional propane shippers, as well as the international market. In total, the Mariner projects have the potential to make a $9.1 billion impact on the Pennsylvania economy, according to an updated study by Econsult Solutions, Inc. Think of how many jobs that will create. It’s a blessing for our area.
To keep the region growing, we need to finish what we’ve started on an path to prosperity. We need to complete Mariner East 2.
Maury Burgwin
McKeesport