Delaware County Forum Examines Marcellus Shale Drilling

State Representative Greg Vitali of Delaware County hosted a forum on January 19, 2010 focused on natural gas production in the Marcellus Shale.

Among the speakers was PBPC Director Sharon Ward who said that Pennsylvania should enact an extraction tax on natural gas production to offset the environmental and social costs that come with increasing drilling. These include increased use of infrastructure, public safety and education, which often accompanies resource booms. A severance tax will ensure that the natural gas industry bears these costs, not Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Mainline Peace Action wrote a report about the forum, which you can read here.

You can also watch video of the forum. Sharon Ward's presentation comes toward the end of the first clip.