Oct 4, 2019 3 min read

The Washington County Chamber of Commerce was recently joined by Washington County Commissioners Larry Maggi, Diana Irey Vaughan and Harlan Shober as well as State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, state Rep. Jason Ortitay and several of Washington County’s municipal leaders at an event to highlight the continued positive economic impacts of the energy industry on our economy. Additionally, the group highlighted the investments being made in our communities through the natural gas impact fee. Washington County’s leadership in the energy sector is a key factor for our economic success and provides a solid foundation for our continued progress.

The growth of our energy community mirrors the continued strength of our economy and has positioned our county as a leader in our country’s energy independence. According to the most recent state data in 2018, Washington County ranked second in the state in natural gas production and producing wells. We also ranked second in the state for the number of unconventional well permits issued in 2018 with 316 and ranked second in the region and third in the state for the number of unconventional wells drilled with 105.

Beyond the tremendous employment and economic benefits of this unprecedented energy production, there is also the direct positive impact of this industry on the county and our municipalities. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced that the state has collected and distributed $251.8 million in shale impact fees from natural gas producers for 2018. Washington County and our municipalities saw significant increases in impact fee distributions this year, primarily due to the growth in drilling and production activity. Washington County received the largest distribution among the state’s 67 counties, with $8.4 million – an increase of more than $1 million over the prior year and our municipalities received a total of $14.5 million for projects important to our communities. These impact fees are going to projects like local roads, park/playground improvements and trails for our residents to enjoy. They also go to vehicles and equipment dedicated to our first responders and public works departments which directly benefit our residents by making our communities safe and more enjoyable.

However, our county’s defining success with the energy industry is the ability of our county commissioners, legislators, economic development agencies and business community to work together to attract natural gas companies and their partners to Washington County to establish their headquarters and facilities. Companies like Range Resources, EQT, CNX Resources, Eqitrans Midstream, Mark West Liberty Midstream, Olympus Energy and countless others have located operations in Washington County not only for the obvious proximity to the resource but also for the county’s proactive efforts to attract energy companies by investing in infrastructure, business parks and keeping taxes low.

Our county’s efforts have not only attracted these companies but also their employees, making Washington County one of only two counties in our region that has not lost population over the past 10 years according to the US Census. And these new residents have become friends and neighbors – volunteering in our communities and collectively making our county a better place. While we often say that the power to prosper is right under our feet, the true energy of Washington County is with our people and the opportunities that our public and private sectors have created by working together to make Washington County an energy leader and one of the best places to live in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Jeff Kotula is president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.