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Old 08-08-2015, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,014 times
Reputation: 1314

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I live in Williamsport, so I can't comment much on western PA. I'm mainly focusing on central PA. From late 2009 until 2013 the natural gas drilling boom was on in central PA. I work road construction, in this time period my wage increased significantly, (since most companies increased wages to retain workers), plus we had so much work. Especially 2010 and 2011. Between building well pads and paving roads to well pads in addition to state work we were busy, money was made. Now in 2015 there's an abundance of gas in the ground. Well pads aren't being built. I'm sure Governor Wolfe's proposed tax plan didn't help. In Williamsport, although wages went up so did the cost of living. The problem is rent and real estate is still high, (and IMO over-priced for this area), even though the demand for housing isn't what it was. Rent in Williamsport is almost as high Camp Hill, even though Camp Hill's median income is over 20k higher than Williamsport's. It just seems like my area is over-priced for the local people, many of the gas industry workers have moved away. I know others who share my opinion. So did the gas drilling boom help or hurt central PA?
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Old 08-13-2015, 03:52 PM
 
41,111 posts, read 25,632,392 times
Reputation: 13868
Quote:
Originally Posted by supertrucker212 View Post
I live in Williamsport, so I can't comment much on western PA. I'm mainly focusing on central PA. From late 2009 until 2013 the natural gas drilling boom was on in central PA. I work road construction, in this time period my wage increased significantly, (since most companies increased wages to retain workers), plus we had so much work. Especially 2010 and 2011. Between building well pads and paving roads to well pads in addition to state work we were busy, money was made. Now in 2015 there's an abundance of gas in the ground. Well pads aren't being built. I'm sure Governor Wolfe's proposed tax plan didn't help. In Williamsport, although wages went up so did the cost of living. The problem is rent and real estate is still high, (and IMO over-priced for this area), even though the demand for housing isn't what it was. Rent in Williamsport is almost as high Camp Hill, even though Camp Hill's median income is over 20k higher than Williamsport's. It just seems like my area is over-priced for the local people, many of the gas industry workers have moved away. I know others who share my opinion. So did the gas drilling boom help or hurt central PA?
I don't know about central PA but it didn't hurt western PA, it's already expensive and taxes are ridiculous. Tom Wolf wants to raise taxes even more and is stopping the budget from passing. If he wins it will raise prices and get much worse and because of that I'll soon be leaving to a lower tax state. I wish Tom Wolf would get a budget passed already.
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Old 08-15-2015, 03:01 PM
 
634 posts, read 1,160,164 times
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It destroyed the rural roads, increased crime and was a blight on the landscape. Glad to see the rigs idled and workers gone.
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Old 08-15-2015, 09:54 PM
 
1,344 posts, read 3,392,765 times
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Originally Posted by KevinE View Post
It destroyed the rural roads, increased crime and was a blight on the landscape. Glad to see the rigs idled and workers gone.
Not from drilling but from a gas line that went through the area.

Our local roads have been completely re-paved where they went through (at their expense). The one road beside me has never been paved until they came along.

The gas line ROW was done properly and nicely cleaned up.
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Old 08-20-2015, 02:54 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,014 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinE View Post
It destroyed the rural roads, increased crime and was a blight on the landscape. Glad to see the rigs idled and workers gone.
KevinE I never witnessed it personally, but I did hear stories of people being harassed and gas workers acting like total as$holes, (hence the term gas-holes), at bars and restaurants. Even to the point of fighting and hitting on guys wives and girlfriend's and not stop when being told. Being in construction, I do know personally of a lot of backroads, especially Bradford, Lycoming and Tioga counties that were paved at the gas companies' expense.
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Old 08-20-2015, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,014 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by petch751 View Post
I don't know about central PA but it didn't hurt western PA, it's already expensive and taxes are ridiculous. Tom Wolf wants to raise taxes even more and is stopping the budget from passing. If he wins it will raise prices and get much worse and because of that I'll soon be leaving to a lower tax state. I wish Tom Wolf would get a budget passed already.
I'm pretty liberal, but don't like Wolf. Gas companies are already paying tax. Plus, besides increasing that tax why should it all go to Harrisburg. If a well is drilled in Lycoming County, the tax money should stay in Lycoming County, as it does now. Wolf, IMO, is just trying to pad the pockets of those that helped get him re-elected. Same with the sales tax, why raise it? Why spend more on education, the education system is failing and needs a total makeover. Until we do that no amount of $$ is going to help. Finally, the state needs to get out of the liquor business already! All Wolf is doing is hurting the working man by expecting everybody to pay more in taxes
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Old 08-20-2015, 05:12 PM
 
Location: Montco PA
2,214 posts, read 5,074,053 times
Reputation: 1856
Quote:
Originally Posted by supertrucker212 View Post
I'm pretty liberal, but don't like Wolf. Gas companies are already paying tax. Plus, besides increasing that tax why should it all go to Harrisburg. If a well is drilled in Lycoming County, the tax money should stay in Lycoming County, as it does now. Wolf, IMO, is just trying to pad the pockets of those that helped get him re-elected. Same with the sales tax, why raise it? Why spend more on education, the education system is failing and needs a total makeover. Until we do that no amount of $$ is going to help. Finally, the state needs to get out of the liquor business already! All Wolf is doing is hurting the working man by expecting everybody to pay more in taxes
You don't sound like someone who is pretty liberal.
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Old 08-21-2015, 05:29 PM
 
1,271 posts, read 2,586,202 times
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I left PA before all of this circus started, I heard and read nothing but negatives from many. When I visit I don't see much of it because my part of central PA was devoid of drilling, I lived near and have a lot of relatives from the Coal Regions, growing up talk about blight, polluted streams and trashed landscape. Still see it when I drive through, just hope those more natural parts of North Central PA are not going to turn into that.
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Old 08-21-2015, 06:56 PM
 
41,815 posts, read 50,883,218 times
Reputation: 17863
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Originally Posted by blauskies View Post
.... I lived near and have a lot of relatives from the Coal Regions, growing up talk about blight, polluted streams and trashed landscape. Still see it when I drive through, just hope those more natural parts of North Central PA are not going to turn into that.
They couldn't do what they did 100 years ago today, they are required to be bonded and reclaim the land. Matter of fact it's active coal mining that provides the funding for remediation and reclamation of abandoned properties where no one is responsible. For every ton of coal that is mined there is fee applied, those funds are used to reclaim abandoned mining properties. Not just coal either, any abandoned mining site.

The gas industry itself has a modest impact overall. If you want heat and electric then coal and gas has to come from somewhere.
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