LETTER: Protin’s vision for Mon Valley ‘beautiful’
Jamie Protin’s recent column, “What’s wrong in the Valley could be fixed by what’s right there,” May 29) was not only chock full of great information, it was beautiful.
The line, “the opportunity to thrive once again,” sums up why most of us in this community are grateful for natural gas development. Not only do we see the results in our lower energy bills, we see mothers and fathers able to provide for their families once again. Money doesn’t buy everything, but it’s easier to breathe when one doesn’t have to worry about how to feed their family or heat their homes.
I hope readers also realize natural gas provides millions of dollars in revenue to help improve our landscape. In 2018, impact fees paid by the industry helped to fund more than 120 projects across the state, including flood mitigation programs, park development plans and efforts to treat abandoned mines.
Protin thanked our “visionary leaders” for creating an environment where natural gas could thrive. I hope those leaders don’t lose sight of all the good that’s come to be in our community over the last several years, and I hope they’ll work to sustain an environment where natural gas production can continue to flourish.
Mark Alterici
Charleroi Borough councilman