In most Pennsylvanians’ eyes, the Marcellus Shale is a state resource that should bring much-deserved tax revenue to the region — despite a governor in Harrisburg too influenced by the industry to properly tax or regulate it, according to a new survey released today.
Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale has so far yielded more benefits than problems for the state, and the long-term pluses will continue to outweigh environmental minuses, according to research from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College near Allentown in eastern Pennsylvania.
“Fracking for Natural Gas: Public Opinion on State Policy Options” offers a statewide look at the hope most Pennsylvanians have for the booming natural gas industry, despite an evident cynicism toward the environmentalists, legislators and media tasked with tracking the industry’s effects on the commonwealth.
