In Pennsylvania, natural gas drilling brought in $3.5 billion in 2011. In West Virginia, that number was $1.2 billion. That economic activity is passing New York by. By delaying approval of the processes necessary to access Marcellus Shale natural gas, New York politicians and regulators are denying the state the economic growth that other states are seeing. This short-sighted stalling on approving shale gas drilling is hurting the state’s economy, depriving workers of jobs, and reducing the tax revenue local governments desperately need.
At least one local municipality gets it. Colesville recently rejected a ban on natural gas drilling. Other municipalities throughout New York are preemptively banning shale gas drilling, more as a signal to the state than anything else. Colesville’s leaders, however, recognized that this type of grandstanding doesn’t serve their town well. As one councilman said, “we're going to wait until [the state is] done and see what their findings are," Obviously, they have more expertise in it than we do.” That is a common sense view that other towns should embrace, too. It’s up to New York’s Energy Citizens to make them see the light.