Pennsylvania is making progress on protecting the environment while being a major gas producer | PennLive letters

Who says Pennsylvania, the nation’s second-largest pure gasoline producer, can’t make environmental progress whereas producing file gasoline provides to maintain our houses, factories and companies heated?

The Division of Environmental Safety just lately reported that Pennsylvania drillers pulled a file quantity of gasoline from the bottom in 2021 regardless that the variety of new wells drilled was properly under ranges seen lately. Drillers produced 7.65 trillion cubic toes of gasoline in 2021, a 7% improve over the earlier yr. However they added solely 648 wells, as a lot as a 3rd fewer than the degrees seen within the final 5 years.

What explains the file output whereas new wells fell? Pennsylvania’s drillers are continually enhancing operational and environmental efficiency with expertise that will get extra out of each properly.

Recycling additionally issues: operators reused 93% of the specifically handled water used when drilling unconventional wells.

The Commonwealth’s power success issues outdoors its borders. It ranks second solely to Texas as the biggest web provider of whole power to different states, in response to authorities knowledge. As such, Pennsylvania exhibits why we want strong power infrastructure together with pipelines and electrical transmission so as to add extra renewable energy to the grid.

We’re inspired that Democratic Gov. Shapiro seems to have taken a reasoned strategy to power up to now. We stand able to work with the governor in pursuit of sensible, real looking insurance policies that stability our wants for considerable, inexpensive power and environmental progress, and acknowledge the unbelievable worth Pennsylvania’s power financial system brings to each.

Michael Butler, Pittsburgh, Pa.