Marcellus Shale

Marcellus Shale

Looking at natural gas drilling through an Economic and

Environmental lens

The Marcellus Shale

489 trillion cubic feet of retrievable gas in Marcellus Shale

Global Potential Economic Benefits

• Versatility• Natural gas is a growing industry• U.S. consumed 22,844,374 million cubic feet

of natural gas last year alone• Cleanest burning fossil fuels

Local Potential Economic Benefits

• NY state alone consumed 393 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2008, making up 33% of their energy consumption

• In state production would directly decrease in state consumer cost

Broome County Study

Over the next decade:• 792 million in new wages• 16,000 new jobs created• $85 million in state and local tax revenues

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Problems with the study

• Does not take into account economic impact of environmental damage

• Does not take into account economic impact of other industries e.g. fishing, recreation…

• Does not take into account economic impact of health care costs

• Study was conducted by out of state company

Impact on Agriculture

Endangering Precious Resources

• Only .3% of the world’s water supply is usable for human consumption

• Methane gas has been found in municipal water sources located near drilling sites.

Fracking Fluid

• Companies are not required to disclose fracking solutions

Spills and Wastewater

• Sewage treatment plants are not equipped to process the industrial waste water and associated chemicals.

Kills Fish and Other Animals

Jobs Who will get these new jobs? Not people

from local communities.