May 29, 2019 4 min read

The Mon Valley is a thriving, vibrant place to live, work, and play. I am certain that statement already has many laughing, cursing, or just shaking their head. Yes, I am an optimist, but I am also an experienced professional with a vision of what we can be as a community. The key is community, not communities. We must begin to think and work as one. The existing culture in the Mon Valley is predominately negative. We spend far too much time dwelling in and debating our problems. That just ensures we will be defeated before we even get to the table. We know our problems, so there is no need to continue re-stating them. It’s time to create a culture of possibility that is rooted in a positive vision and brings forward real solutions.

What’s wrong with the Mon Valley will be fixed by what’s right with the Mon Valley. We have the technology and now the necessary resources as a result of the booming natural gas industry in our region. This industry represents much more to us than jobs. It represents the opportunity to thrive once again. Through employing place-based economic development principles, strategic planning, public engagement, and most importantly public commitment, we can create a place that unites our community, attracts visitors, and supports businesses for decades to come. The only thing stopping us is us.

The natural gas revolution we have been experiencing in southwestern Pennsylvania for about the last decade or so represents the greatest economic revitalization opportunity in my lifetime. The shale revolution in the United States has not just transformed our region, but our domestic energy outlook as well. The impact on energy markets around the world has been staggering. I’m not a numbers guy, but over this time, domestic crude oil production has surged 140%, while gas output is up 55%. Today, we are easily the world’s largest oil and gas producer, yielding 20% more oil and 25% more gas than Russia.

How is the oil and gas industry going to revitalize the Mon Valley? We have always had the work ethic, now we have the technology and the necessary resources to invest and thrive once again. Like our ancestors who went to work in the steel mills and coal mines and produced the materials that built our country, we are ready to invest in what comes next. Yes, we have work to do. Our workforce needs training, and in some cases motivation. The industry is investing in us and we must in-turn invest in it. Industry will have passionate people working for them and a community that supports them.

To build a culture of possibility, we must expand our vision and learn how to talk to each other across boundaries. Political boundaries only divide and weaken us. At every level of government, we’re seeing a rejection of compromise, which serves no great purpose. We can work toward a sustainable future together. If our communities are merely a compilation of empty, underutilized buildings and vacant lots we cannot survive, let alone thrive. From Allenport to Southpointe, our strength is each other.

We can see progress. Communities across our region are seeing new businesses, restaurants, and shops open in areas that were formerly vacant or economically distressed. We have underutilized Main Streets bursting with opportunities to celebrate the Mon Valley’s diverse history, expand economic opportunity within our community, and create a culture of possibility for our residents.

Creating vibrant, walkable downtown districts will help attract and retain talented people and the companies that want to hire them. We have walkable disinvested downtown business districts waiting for reinvestment. Each is an opportunity to create a long-term, resilient, economic asset for our community, the Mon Valley.

We have reason to be optimistic. The buzz around the Appalachian Storage Hub and the downstream opportunities is real. Our region is in a sustainable upward trend, and as we know a rising tide raises all ship. The Mon Valley is indeed riding that rising tide. And we’re doing our share. A culture of possibility is being created in the hearts and minds of our people. Visionary leaders are putting in the work required to build a sustainable future. Let’s do this together.