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Sen. Solobay, Senate Leaders Discuss Drilling In Washington County
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Sen. Tim Solobay (D-Washington) capped off two days of meetings between key Harrisburg lawmakers and Washington County community leaders this week with a tour of Marcellus Shale drilling sites. “Everyone understands that energy exploration presents a tremendous economic opportunity for Pennsylvania, but we also understand that people from different regions have different views about the risks and responsibilities,” Sen. Solobay said. “The best way to get everybody on the same page is to start by getting them in the same room.”
Sen. Solobay invited Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Senate Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) to a series of meetings in Washington County, where gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale is fueling an economic revival.
“I think it’s important that Sen. Solobay arranged this meeting with the Senate Democratic Leadership just to come out and talk to us and get our opinions about what is going on in the economy, what’s going on here in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s good to have, for instance, Sen. Hughes come in from Philadelphia and see what’s really going on in Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Sen. Hughes, whose committee is chiefly responsible for crafting a state budget facing a steep deficit, said regional views of gas drilling converge over its importance to the state’s economic recovery.
“Jobs are everyone’s top priority,” he said. “The only way out of recession and budget deficits is to grow the economy, create an environment for job growth and train people to do those new jobs. Whether you live in West Philadelphia or Washington County, everyone wants family sustaining jobs and a stable economy.”
On Monday, Sen. Solobay hosted a roundtable discussion with more than two dozen business, government and community leaders who underscored the importance of providing Harrisburg lawmakers with accurate information about the impact of gas drilling on the economy and the environment.
“What we heard in Washington County today will be part of the discussion when we get back to Harrisburg and face the challenge of addressing the deficit while investing in the future,” said Sen. Costa. “We need to protect our environment while protecting job growth.”
The roundtable discussion was followed by a meeting with gas industry officials, and Tuesday started with breakfast meeting with the Southpointe CEO Association and an afternoon tour of drilling sites in the region.
Sen. Solobay said he hopes the intensive two days of talks will help produce a budget that balances concerns and aspirations across a diverse state.
“We all want good jobs and we all understand that it has to start with a good education and it has to end with an environment that we can pass on to our children without regret,” he said. “We can do it and even if we can’t make everyone happy, we can at least make sure everyone is heard.”
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4/25/2011 |
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