Conversations from the Region: What supports life(styles)
Posted in Codes & Regulations | Communities | Current Events | Economic Development | Energy Conservation | Marcellus Shale | Natural Gas | Water/Wastewater by Marty Muggleton (VP Client Development & Marketing) on March 22, 2011

Marcellus is a global topic. It is far stronger than any brand or presence we have in our region. When I first traveled on business for Larson Design Group, I would mention Little League Baseball in order to place Williamsport in the mind of the person or group I was talking with. Now I mention Marcellus and the geography becomes clear.

As our region tries to define the Marcellus experience, discussions are becoming more defined. The leaders, influencers, and citizens I spend time with are constantly searching for that single topic that makes their story, opinion, or set of facts superior. This is a necessary process, but it gets buried as the media races to publish more, quicker, and in some cases less accurately.

Whenever possible, I ask people to look at the issue on a personal level based on the elements involved. This is about two vital elements. Water and energy. These are powerful elements when combined can create and destroy almost every tangible item in our world. (I write this as the citizens of Japan recover from a tsunami and struggle with nuclear catastrophe.)

A project that deals with water leads to challenge and controversy the same way an energy project does. Deal with them simultaneously and the challenge and controversy grow exponentially. So where does one start? I recommend the start is with you, your life, and the American lifestyle.

We want energy all the time and everywhere. Flip the switch and the lights come on. Flip a switch and you impact the environment. The action you take by flipping the switch is a signal that you need something to be extracted, processed, combusted, regulated, measured, remediated, and landfilled. You and I did this how many times today? You did this in order to read this blog. Manage your guilt for sure. But be sure to manage your expectation as to how the system reacts to your signal. Marcellus development is a reaction to your signal.

Water is different than energy. It is all around us in Pennsylvania. We protect and cherish it. But your demand for it is the same. Turn the faucet and water comes out. On the front end, it is a signal to the filtration plant to use energy, chemicals, and equipment to fill your need. On the back end, there is an indirect signal to sanitary authorities to use energy, chemicals, and equipment to maintain water quality in the river.

This at a time when municipal sanitary and water authorities voice their concerns about the high cost of upgrades that are mandated by EPA. Add to this the dialog between PADEP and EPA on water quality monitoring to gauge the impact of Marcellus activity. Citizens are unhappy with the higher water and sewer fees required to deliver to them pure water, but at the same time we want/need to more closely monitor and tighten regulation relative to Marcellus activity. Parties can complain all they want, but it seems clear to me that both municipal and Marcellus initiatives need to happen. Government big or small, cost high or low – protecting the environment has to happen. After all, we like our lifestyle.

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