Democratic Pa. lawmaker calls for developing pipeline infrastructure
In this April 17, 2014 photo, workers continue the construction at a gas pipeline site in Harmony, Pa. Dennis Martire, from the Laborers’ International Union, or LIUNA, said that the man-hours of union work on large pipeline jobs in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have increased by more than 14 times since 2008. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
(Harrisburg) — A state lawmaker says jobs have to be a part of the equation for developing regulations for natural gas pipelines in Pennsylvania.
The commonwealth’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force recently presented 184 recommendations to Governor Tom Wolf on future development of a system to get the state’s natural gas supply to market.
Senator John Yudickak, ranking Democrat on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, says the economic impact has to be considered with the same force as the environmental impact.
“Those jobs are there today. They didn’t leave Pennsylvania. They didn’t leave U.S. shores, because we were able to build out our natural gas infrastructure,” the Luzerne County lawmaker said. “So, we have to be responsible. But we need to put together a good plan, a common sense plan, to develop pipeline infrastructure here in Pennsylvania.”
Yudickak says he’s aware of the delicate balance between the economy and the environment.
“We have to certainly respect local property rights. We have to respect making sure all environmental protections and oversights are in place as we construct these pipelines,” he says. “But, we need pipelines. We have an incredible resource in natural gas.”
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, over the next 10 years natural gas pipelines will stretch through every county in the state.
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