Governor Corbett’s Pro-Jobs Marcellus Shale Plan Will Propel Pennsylvania Forward

Governor Corbett’s plan empowers Pennsylvania’s job creators while properly equipping community leaders to address impacts locally

HARRISBURG — Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason issued the following statement regarding Governor Tom Corbett’s recent proposal to implement numerous recommendations of the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, including changes to enhance environmental standards and plans to help move Pennsylvania toward energy independence.

“Natural gas drilling is an important engine of job creation and economic growth in our Commonwealth, and with his recent Marcellus Shale proposal, Governor Corbett has brought forth a plan to ensure the continued growth of the industry while equipping community leaders with the authority to address impacts the industry might have on the most important level — the local level,” Chairman Rob Gleason said.

“The natural gas industry has been a tremendous job creator, and Governor Corbett’s proposal ensures that these businesses can continue to provide high quality, well-paying jobs to hardworking Pennsylvanians.”

The opportunities Marcellus Shale drilling are providing are having a positive impact on our entire Commonwealth:

Family Sustaining Wages

  • “The average wage in the core industries was $73,150, which was about $27,400 greater than the average for all industries.” (Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, June 2011)

Employment Impact

  • “Areas with significant Marcellus Shale drilling activity have seen notable decreases in unemployment rates.” (Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, June 2011)
  • “The Northern Tier Workforce Investment Areas (WIA) experienced an increase of employment growth of over 1,500%.” (Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, June 2011)
  • “The Central WIA was second in terms of employment growth by volume and by percentage with an employment increase of almost 1,000%.” (Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, June 2011)
  • “Significant employment gains were seen in each WIA that had substantial Marcellus Shale drilling activity.” (Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, June 2011)

Infrastructure Investment

  • “Marcellus shale drillers spent $411 million in the past three years to help rebuild Pennsylvania roads…” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 21, 2011)
  • “Since 2008, approximately 21% of the payments have been made toward local roads, while approximately 79% went toward improving roads maintained by the state.” (MSC press release, June 21, 2011)

Tax Revenue Generated by Responsible Marcellus Development

  • “Drilling Industry Paid More Than $1 Billion in State Taxes Since 2006, Tax Payments in First Quarter of 2011 Already Surpass 2010 Totals” (Dept. of Revenue press release, May, 2, 2011)
  • “The Revenue Department’s analysis, which breaks out tax payments from oil and gas companies and their affiliates through April 2011, indicates that 857 of these companies have already paid $238.4 million in capital stock/foreign franchise tax, corporate net income tax, sales/use tax and employer withholding to the state in 2011. These figures from the first quarter of this year already exceed by nearly $20 million the total tax payments made in all of 2010.” (Dept. of Revenue press release, May, 2, 2011)
  • “The data indicate that counties with 150 or more Marcellus wells experienced an 11.36 percent increase in state sales tax collections between 2007 and 2010.” (Penn State University, February 27, 2011)
  • “In counties with ten or more Marcellus wells, returns reporting royalty income increased 44.1 percent and tax income increased 325.3 percent.” (Penn State University, February 27, 2011)

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