Abstract
The attitudes of Susquehanna River stakeholders regarding natural gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Marcellus Shale region reflect differing concerns on economic, social, and environmental issues based on gender, education level, and income. The focus on the U.S. State of Pennsylvania section of the Susquehanna River derives from the U.S. States of New York and Maryland, neighbors of Pennsylvania to the immediate north and south, respectively, enacting bans on fracking, while Pennsylvania has catapulted, through Marcellus fracking, to become the second largest natural gas producing state in the U.S. In this Pennsylvania survey, female and more highly educated stakeholders favor a moratorium on fracking, while males and lower income stakeholders support fracking. Of the four categories used to organize the survey, i.e. economic opportunity, health and safety, communities, and energy security, the category of health and safety ranked first in both the 2012 and 2017 survey.
Highlights
We present the results of a survey about stakeholder attitudes regarding the economic, social, and environmental impact of Marcellus Shale development in the Susquehanna River Basin area of Pennsylvania
As Evensen and Stedman [16] conclude, a larger, perhaps statewide, survey would drown out responses of the very stakeholders we focused upon
Based on data collected from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as of January 2017, there are at least 17,939 proposed and drilled unconventional wells in the state [25]
Summary
Based on data collected from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as of January 2017, there are at least 17,939 proposed and drilled unconventional wells in the state [25]. In 2016, the annual average natural gas price was the lowest since 1999 due to an oversupply [6], causing natural gas production to fall throughout the U.S, except in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Natural gas prices are expected to increase in the 2017-18 period, reflecting higher forecasted consumption and exports, as the Cove Point LNG facility in Maryland is expected to start export operations in December 2017, along with additional projects on the Gulf Coast beginning exports in 2018 [27]. Based on data collected from the Pennsylvania Department of SEunstvaiinraobnilimty e20n1t7a,l9,P1r7o1t3ection (DEP), as of January 2017, there are at least 17,939 proposed and d8riolfle1d9 unconventional wells in the state [25].
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