The Relationship between Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Pennsylvania and Local Perceptions of Risk and Opportunity

Abstract

Recent advances in gas and oil drilling technology have led to dramatic boomtown development in many rural areas that have endured extended periods of economic decline. In Pennsylvania's Marcellus gas fields, the recent development of unconventional shale gas resources has not been without controversy. It has been variously framed as a major opportunity for economic revitalization at the local and regional levels and energy independence at the national level, but also as a significant environmental risk, with uncertain and uneven economic benefits. We use data from a survey conducted in 309 school districts located within Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale region to study the ways local stakeholders perceive both risk and opportunity associated with gas extraction from Marcellus Shale. Our analyses indicate that there is a strong positive association between perceptions of risk and opportunity associated with gas extraction. Further, the intensity of perception of both risk and opportunity is directly associated with the amount of local drilling, suggesting the complexity of local contexts within which local stakeholders evaluate rapid boomtown‐associated community change. In total, these findings complicate the framing of unconventional gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale region, and indeed boomtown growth overall, as fundamentally polarizing issues.

Comparing the relationship between knowledge and support for hydraulic fracturing between residents of the United States and the United Kingdom

“…[6,10]). While these economic benefits are far from agreed-upon [39,34], the point we wish to emphasize here is that the potential for these benefits has affected the discourse surrounding shale gas development [19] in a way that differs from the UK.…”

Community Impact of Unconventional gas development: Summary, Challenges and Conceptual Framework

“…Rapid population changes (derived from the Community Impact of Unconventional gas development: Summary and Challenges DOI: 10.9790/0837-2108105766 www.iosrjournals.org 64 | Page workers on the industrial site accompanied by their families) can put more pressure on local schools, which in small communities cannot accommodate the needs. Others [36] have found however found that school in the affected counties in Pennsylvania did not experience a net increase in enrollment associated with unconventional gas development. This can be explained by the fact that most of the workers on the drilling sites do not bring their family to live with them in the proximity of the operation site.…”

“…This can be explained by the fact that most of the workers on the drilling sites do not bring their family to live with them in the proximity of the operation site. Workers on the operation site require housing facilities, with some being addressed by the companies performing the operations who build dormitories for the workers [36], but this fails to meet the demand, putting pressure on the local services. A lack of affordable, quality housing has been identified as one of the most critical early impacts unconventional gas development in the United States, especially in small rural communities [5].…”

A review of biophysical and socio-economic effects of unconventional oil and gas extraction – Implications for South Africa

“…These possible impacts include: disruption of social cohesion, competition over water between oil and gas companies and existing lawful water users in the Karoo; securing access to water and sanitation for previously disadvantaged communities in the face of competing demands presented by fracking operations; the potential health risks associated with lack of access to water and adequate sanitation in vulnerable communities; in-migration and higher population density in ecologically sensitive and water scarce areas Broderick et al, 2011;Dolesh, 2011;Kargbo et al, 2010;Schafft et al, 2013 andWarren, 2013). Even a social-economic benefit such as job creation may be contentious as it is not guaranteed that jobs created in the oil and gas sector will offset job losses in other sectors such as the agricultural sector resulting in displacement of people (Dolesh, 2011;Kargbo et al, 2010;Schafft et al, 2013 andWarren, 2013). Therefore, the dynamic and multi-faceted socio-economic impacts of unconventional gas extraction in communities in areas where basic resources such as water are already under pressure should be identified and linked with wider developmental and environmental concerns.…”