ICYMI — “Friends of the Marcellus Shale” Rally Support for Responsible Natural Gas Development

• · An hour before the hearing began, a group calling itself “Friends of the Marcellus Shale” held a rally that drew about 40 people to the portico of the City-County Building, next to the courthouse on Grant Street. “Say yes to Marcellus,” they chanted. Asked why they were there, rally participants talked about jobs and spin-off economic benefits that Marcellus Shale drilling have brought to the region. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

• Natural gas worker Robert Henwood: “It comes down to jobs and our families. … I just had a baby, he’s two months old and I want to feed him.” (KDKA-TV, 3/10/11

Supporters of drilling demonstrate on Thursday evening in front of the City County Building, Downtown,

while a public hearing is conducted before Allegheny County Council. (Tribune-Review, 3/11/11)

• Terry Clark, of Arlington Heights, said natural gas production created a win-win situation. “It creates jobs, helps us with our energy problems and boosts tax revenues,” the retired Pittsburgh firefighter said. Joe Myzak said he had experienced the practical benefits of the gas boom. His company, Myzak Hydraulics of Houston, Pa., which rents heavy equipment to the industry, has grown from 12 to 52 workers in two years, he said. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

• · Natural gas worker Mike Yilit: “You reap the benefits of it. It’s a natural resource. In Western Pennsylvania…there are 40,000 jobs that have been created.” (WPXI-TV, 3/10/11)

• State-of-the-art technologies, transparency and strict regulation are assuring that natural gas drilling is being done responsibly in southwestern Pennsylvania, Steve Forde told council. He is policy and communications director for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group. Mr. Forde said he had personal reasons for wanting to assure that extraction is done safely. He, his wife and two young daughters make their home in Cranberry. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

* * To view more pictures from yesterday’s “Friends of Marcellus” rally,

visit the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Facebook page. * *

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