Oct 15, 2024 By David Callahan 3 min read

Pat McDonnell’s recent op-ed, “Why politicians want you to pay more for natural gas,” is wrought with anti-gas rhetoric but is devoid of any facts.

For activist groups paid to oppose our industry, this is the inconvenient truth about natural gas development: the American shale revolution has lowered energy prices for consumers, boosted Pennsylvania’s economy and led to the biggest improvements in air quality in recent times, all while providing the United States with energy security for the first time in the modern era.

These benefits are undeniable for consumers. According to data from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, natural gas prices are between 50% to 86% lower for most utilities compared to 2008. As a result, Pennsylvanians saved almost $9 billion last year compared to 2008 prices. And these savings don’t include the billions in cost reductions for electricity customers now that a majority of Pennsylvania’s power comes from cheap and abundant natural gas.

Economically, Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry supports more than 123,000 jobs with an average salary of $97,000 – 113% higher than Pennsylvania’s median wage. In 2022 alone, the industry generated more than $41 billion in activity in the commonwealth, with more than $6.3 billion paid to Pennsylvania landowners and more than $5.8 billion paid in local, state and federal taxes.

Operating under some of the strictest regulations in the world, Pennsylvania operators continue to develop natural gas safely and responsibly. Independent analyses have touted Appalachia as having among the lowest methane intensity ratings in the world. Further, data from both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shows increased utilization of natural gas in electric generation has slashed carbon dioxide 46%, volatile organic compounds by 47% and respiratory pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and and sulfur dioxide 88% and 96%, respectively, since 2005.

Finally, it may be hard for activists to accept that natural gas development is quintessentially pro-American. Unlike intermittent wind and solar, natural gas is a reliable, purely domestic energy source that also has countless other benefits for modern society. From nearly every component used in medicine to the fertilizers farmers use, and even the keyboards our detractors use to fabricate their flailing narratives, American-produced natural gas is essential to everyday modern life.

Home-grown domestic energy, like gas which is American produced and delivered from well-head to burner tip, is the key to our country’s energy security and continued economic growth. Fearmongering about the sector only serves to weaken our position in the world and embolden our enemies.

David Callahan is president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition. Learn more at www.marcelluscoalition.org.