Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Kathryn Klaber Talks about NY Moratorium and Other Issues

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Kathryn KlaberKathryn Klaber, the president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition based in Canonsburg, PA, is perhaps the most visible face of the pro-drilling movement in the Marcellus Shale. The Coalition she represents has as its members most of the energy companies who actively drill in the Marcellus. Ms. Klaber is articulate and smart, and not afraid to answer the tough questions about drilling. In a recent interview, she addressed a wide range of issues including how much and what types of investments are being made in the Marcellus, how many jobs it produces, mineral rights vs. surface owners rights, accidents, environmental issues and more.

Among her comments was this exchange about the drilling moratorium in New York State:

Q: There’s been almost near hysteria in New York over fracking that has led to a moratorium on drilling in that state. Do you have any concerns that that might sweep from New York into Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio?

A: No, I’m not concerned that it’s going to sweep down. If it would have, it would have done it by now. When you look at the fact that (1,500) wells were drilled last year in Pennsylvania alone, many of those just south of the (New York) border, done so safely … with incredible supply chain of local companies involved with that, with landowners that are happy to be benefiting … I think what you are starting to see in the southern tier of New York is mineral rights owners who cannot believe they are continuing to be denied participation in this overall development. … What they’re doing there clearly is trying to get through a process, taking a lot longer than any regulatory agency should take … You should be processing this to get to a conclusion, and that conclusion might be yes or no … I think everyone deserves more certainty than we’re seeing in a place like New York.

And remember, all through that moratorium, people in New York are using low-emissions, clean burning, reasonably priced natural gas to heat their homes, run their businesses, to cook their food. I see a little bit of a concern that there’s not a broad-based understanding that to do this, we need to (drill).*

Read the rest of this excellent interview by following the link below.

*The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register (May 1, 2011) – Sunday Sit-Down: Kathryn Klaber

One Comment

  1. “I see a little bit of a concern that there’s not a broad-based understanding that to do this, we need to (drill).*”
    Classic Katy “Klobber”.
    The ‘people’ don’t understand that we don’t need to drill to get shale gas out of the ground.
    Right, the Shale Coalition members use their magic wands to get the gas.
    MDN believes in Fairy Godmother Katy too.