Republicans warn Pa. shale gas industry of economic ‘disaster’ if Democrats win
Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry faces an existential threat if
“Joe Biden has simply followed along with the left-wing extremists and their hostility to even the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels,” Toomey told the annual Shale Insight conference, conducted online this year to comply with coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
“President Trump and
Toomey also repeated a Republican charge that Biden has called for a full ban on hydraulic fracturing, which Biden has called a lie, though the Democrat supports a ban on the controversial oil and gas extraction method on federal lands.
Brouillette, who succeeded
But Brouillette said that in order to continue the revival of American oil and gas industry, which has generated millions of jobs and lowered energy costs in the decade since fracking has taken off, “we must firmly oppose” those who would curtail or ban development of fossil fuels. “I’m talking about proposals to wipe out every form of energy besides renewables,” he said.
“Now in order to counter these ideas effectively, it’s imperative that we understand the mindset of those who are proposing them,” said Brouillette. “They continue to operate from a mindset of scarcity rather than abundance, and from radicalism as opposed to reality.”
The public officials spoke to a receptive online audience -- some 500 people registered -- since the shale industry’s affinity with
Environmental activists have denounced fossil fuel as the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, and say time is running out to achieve carbon neutrality. But the shale industry contends that the nation cannot quickly ween itself of oil, gas and coal -- fossil fuels account for 80% of America’s energy needs -- without serious economic disruption.
Shale advocates have played up those differences between environmentalists and industry advocates to frighten people who earn their livings from fossil fuel, especially in
Brouillette cited a
Green energy advocates cite other studies that say a transition to clean energy would generate more jobs and do less damage to the environment than staying the court. But Brouillette dismissed those arguments. “No amount of so-called green transition is going to mitigate that disaster.”
Brouillette also cited efforts at state and local levels by green-energy advocates to block fossil fuel infrastructure development and give preference to renewable energy, as causing higher electricity prices in energy-constrained regions -- 46% higher than the national average in
Because
“Now imagine if the entire nation adopted such policies,” said Brouillette.
___
(c)2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer
Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.inquirer.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Foster vs. Laib: 10 questions for the candidates running for the 11th District of the U.S. House of Representatives
Mercury Insurance is Ready to Help Victims of the Glass Fire
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News