WHAT
WE DO
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS.
The CEPM has a full-time staff dedicated to the SGKH initiative. Each week, the staff produces a newsletter that provides critical updates about the shale gas industry and its impacts to citizens and public officials. In addition, the SGKH hosts workshops and training sessions focused on various aspects of the industry that are free and open to the public.
Below are examples of the topics commonly addressed by the SGKH...
Act 13 Impact Fees
Pennsylvania collects an unconventional natural gas development impact fee. We've provided guidance on the structure of the fee, its permissible uses, and trends in collection.
Economic Impacts
Shale gas development impacts employment, income, and public revenue collections. We've examined how and why these impacts have occurred.
WHERE WE WORK.
Planning & Zoning
Communities are often confused or concerned about zoning for shale gas development. We've helped citizens and public officials learn about the planning and zoning process.
The Ethane Cracker Plant
The ethane cracker plant under construction in Beaver County, PA will be used to convert natural gas into plastics. We've examined how that plant will change the region's industrial mix.
Pipeline Development
As more gas is produced, more pipelines are needed to carry the product. We've helped landowners understand how pipelines are permitted and built as well as what the right-of-way acquisition process looks like.
Wellpad Impacts
From light and noise to traffic and water impacts, we've guided discussions about the ways in which hydraulic fracturing impacts neighborhoods.
The SGKH works in the eleven counties throughout southwestern Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia and part of Ohio. Rural or urban, the staff can address concerns from communities of all types.
