America’s Shale Success Story
Mary Schaper
Posted January 13, 2014
For Some Counties, Natural Gas Drilling Brings a Windfall
San Francisco Gate: PITTSBURGH (AP) — Even as some cities around the nation have voted to ban fracking for natural gas, other rural areas are quietly embracing the boom by allowing drilling under public parks and land and reaping millions in royalties.
In Washington County, just outside Pittsburgh, officials say the unexpected revenue stream is letting them make improvements that otherwise might not have been possible.
"Having that funding source has been a tremendous boom to us," said Lisa Cessna, the executive director of the local planning commission. The county has received about $10 million directly from drilling companies since 2007, and royalty payments are still coming in. That's helped build fishing piers, playgrounds and walking trails.
Read more: http://bit.ly/1eP9ofQ
More industry news:
- Pennsylvania Vying to be Global Energy Leader: http://bit.ly/KfrNs9
- The Case for Allowing U.S. Crude Oil Exports: http://on.cfr.org/1lZeB6Q
- Oil and Natural Gas Boom 2014 – A Great Time to be a Texan: http://onforb.es/1anIKuU
- UT Study: Fayetteville Shale Still Holds Promise: http://bit.ly/1kyalzS
- Once Again, Oil Companies are Biggest Corporate Taxpayers: http://exxonmobil.co/1d1jsiA
About The Author
Mary Schaper is a Digital Communications Manager for the American Petroleum Institute. She previously worked on Capitol Hill for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as Digital Director and for Senator Lisa Murkowski. Before coming to D.C., she spearheaded digital strategy for Murkowski's successful Senate write-in campaign in 2010. Schaper enjoys traveling and taking in the local culture alongside her husband, their son and loyal springer spaniel.