By David Callahan and Rob Bair
Amidst all the Labor Day picnics and parades, let’s all take a moment to join together and celebrate the men and women who construct the essential infrastructure that makes our modern life possible.
Consider, without welders, electricians, equipment operators, and other highly skilled tradespeople, our transportation system would be nonexistent, our homes and businesses would have no heating, cooling, and power. Given Pennsylvania’s history as an industrial hub, it’s no wonder the Commonwealth is home to some of the highest skilled and hardest working tradesmen and women in the nation. They work hard to construct and maintain the backbone of our economy – our infrastructure.
Pennsylvania is an epicenter for technology advancements, industry innovation, and a made-in-America manufacturing resurgence. Manufacturers generated $101.95 billion worth of products in 2021 but we must recognize this would not have been possible without the availability of natural gas as both a fuel source and feedstock.
This LNG export terminal further promotes the growth of work for local unions in Pennsylvania, estimated to provide 7,092 jobs per year during the construction phase and just under 3,000 full time positions once operations commence. Already, the Delaware River ports bring in nearly $50 billion in economic activity annually and provides over 50,000 direct jobs, according to Lisa Himber, president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay. By investing in an LNG terminal, additional opportunities would be created for the building trades and labor unions as well as a new source of revenue for local and state governments.
As we look to the future for Pennsylvania, the continued success of the construction trades and the natural gas industry, go hand in hand. We must continue to invest in natural gas development, pipeline infrastructure and innovative end-uses to provide careers for tomorrow’s generation, unlock the energy security, economic prosperity, and quality of life that natural gas has created.
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