The Shale Revolution and Swing States
Mark Green
Posted June 6, 2012
Good article on energy and politics from the Financial Times today [subscription requried]:
The shale revolution is spreading into eastern Ohio, bringing with it the possibility of reviving an economy that has faltered since industrial jobs left the region. But along with that promise, the shale wave is also bringing with it an increasingly intense brand of election-year politics. … Paul Sracic, at Youngstown State University, says the intense focus on shale development has the potential to make energy a big issue in what is the country’s key swing state. “Blue-collar voters were never that sold on environmental issues, and if some Democrats come across as not keen on economic development, it could lose them support here in Ohio,” he said. … Already, the boom in gas production in neighbouring Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale has created an estimated 2,000 jobs in the past 18 months in businesses providing services and equipment such as steel pipes. Vallourec of France has invested $650m to open a new steel mill in Youngstown. “We haven’t seen the Republicans using it as a wedge issue, but I can see it becoming one,” Professor Sracic said. “Ohio is going to be very, very close and little things can mean a lot.”
The article also discusses API's Vote4Energy project, more on that:
A Vote4Energy is not a vote for a person, or a party, or even a philosophy, but rather, it is a vote for America and its future. We are an energy-rich nation. We have more oil and natural gas than anyone thought possible even 20 years ago: more potential energy than many oil-exporting nations in the Mideast, and more than most countries in the world. When we look at all our domestic energy options – fossil fuels, nuclear energy, renewable and alternative energy sources such as biofuels – we see a nation with an abundance of opportunity for growth.
Election coverage is often quite silly, but the promise of energy as the foundation for building America’s future is quite serious. So we encourage folks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and every other state to Vote4Energy this year.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.