League of Women Voters Publishes Study Guide

The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (LWVPA) adopted a one-year study to examine the impacts of the Marcellus shale natural gas extraction.  Each chapter was encouraged to hold meetings to help evaluate the impacts and to submit a consensus to the state League office by the end of March 2010.  Penn State Extension’s Marcellus Education Team members took part in many of these meetings to provide balanced, factual information on a variety of topics.  Tim Kelsey and Peter Wulfhorst spoke about community and social impacts Marcellus shale has on communities to separate chapters.  Dave Messersmith was a speaker at a meeting covering drilling, leasing, extraction tax, leasing of State lands and environmental and water issues.  Jon Laughner was part of a panel discussing the benefits and challenges property owners experience while negotiating a lease and considerations made in the process. 

The Penn State Natural Gas website and webinars were listed as resources for the LWV chapters to become familiar with the issues.  Penn State Extension publications were included in the LWV study materials as well.  The League will be announcing their consensus on the role of state and local government in Marcellus shale development in the near future. For further information about the League's study, visit their website.