API Pennsylvania, State Lawmakers, Joint Trades, Energy Companies, Business and Labor Leaders Celebrate ‘Natural Gas and Oil Day’ and Spotlight Industry Innovation and Pennsylvania’s Energy Opportunity

Trade groups release joint letter to the Governor, state legislators

HARRISBURG, PA, June 24, 2025 — Today, American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania (API PA) was joined by state senators and representatives, joint trades, energy companies, and business and labor leaders to host “Natural Gas and Oil Day” at the state capitol to spotlight Pennsylvania’s energy opportunity and advocate for policies that strengthen our robust natural gas and oil industry. Natural Gas and Oil Day kicked off with a press conference and was followed by a hands-on, interactive showcase with energy industry- and technology-related vendors.

“We stand here united behind one powerful rallying point: Pennsylvania energy,” said API PA Executive Director Stephanie Catarino Wissman. “From the first commercial oil well in the U.S. to the shale revolution, Pennsylvania has paved the way for American energy dominance. Natural gas development has not only breathed new life into communities across Pennsylvania – the number two natural gas-producing state, behind only Texas - but also generated thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in economic impact, over $2.88 billion in impact fee funding for critical projects, and affordable, reliable energy for families and businesses while helping to reduce emissions.”

Wissman, leaders of the Pennsylvania Legislative Gas and Oil Caucus – Senators Camera Bartolotta (R-46) and Lisa Boscola (D-18) as well as Reps. Ed Neilson (D-174) and Eric Nelson (R-57) – and Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), Chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and Rep. Marty Causer (R-67), Minority Chairman of the House Energy Committee, outlined the value of Pennsylvania natural gas and oil while advocating for policies needed to strengthen our energy advantage and economy. Pat Henderson, Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, and Dan Weaver, President and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association, also underscored the economic and environmental progress resulting from Pennsylvania-produced energy.

According to the most recent PwC report, the natural gas and oil industry contributes over $75 billion toward the state’s economy and supports more than 423,000 jobs. Research shows that every direct job in the natural gas and oil industry generates 3.6 additional jobs in Pennsylvania. To put this in perspective, the total number of jobs supported by industry in Pennsylvania alone is equal to four times the capacity of Penn State University’s Beaver Stadium.

As Wissman explained, technology companies are coming to the Commonwealth due in large part to the abundant supply of energy. “They need A LOT of energy, and Pennsylvania has it,” said Wissman. “The future is now, and the opportunity for Pennsylvania is immense.”

To underscore this opportunity, API Pennsylvania, the Marcellus Shale Coalition, and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association today released a joint letter to Governor Josh Shapiro and members of the General Assembly urging them to prioritize our resources, continue modernizing permitting processes to support critical projects, embrace sensible tax policies and ensure a level playing field for all sources of energy. All these points are reflected in API’s 5-Point Policy Roadmap to help secure American energy leadership.

Industry- and technology-related companies were also on hand to showcase the safety initiatives and advanced technologies being applied to produce and deliver natural gas and oil safely and efficiently, including virtual reality, in-line inspection tools, gas detection, workforce development programs, organized labor and conservation. The technology showcase also included the Energy Education Foundation’s Mobile Energy Learning Unit (MELU), sponsored by API, which features curriculum based, hands-on activities used to educate students in grades 5 through 8 across the U.S, and The Environmental Partnership.

To learn more about the natural gas and oil industry, go to api.org.

The American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania (API Pennsylvania) is a state affiliate office of the American Petroleum Institute (API). The API represents all segments of America’s natural gas and oil industry, which supports nearly 11 million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. Our approximately 600 members produce, process, and distribute the majority of the nation’s energy, and participate in API Energy Excellence®, which is accelerating environmental and safety progress by fostering new technologies and transparent reporting. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization and has developed more than 800 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.

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