Peduto speaks out publicly for the first time against a petrochemical expansion in Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh: credit, homes)

[Dequindre]

“Let me be the first politician to say publicly, I oppose any additional petrochemical companies coming to Western Pennsylvania,” he said to applause.

Local environmental groups have lobbied Peduto to speak out publicly against the petrochemical buildout in the region, including the Shell ethane cracker plant under construction in Beaver County, but he said in the past that the Shell cracker decision is not under his jurisdiction and he cannot speak for the elected officials and residents of Beaver County. Recently, the Pittsburgh Business Times reported that ExxonMobil is looking for land to potentially build a cracker plant in Beaver County.

https://www.publicsource.org/peduto-...-pennsylvania/

Statements like these do not win you friends, even in your own Party, in Western PA. The Beaver Cracker Plant alone is anticipated to create 600 jobs.

[erieguy]

“Clean your air and clean your water”.

Sound advice he should/should’ve be/been working on.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

Statements like these do not win you friends, even in your own Party, in Western PA. The Beaver Cracker Plant alone is anticipated to create 600 jobs.

this will have no bearing on his constituency in the City proper, though. this statement of his will make no difference come election time. most voters in the city want to make sure they get what is theirs.

climate change? sure, lets hang Trump for that, but make sure it doesnt affect our own habits. have you SEEN the huge vehicles people are parking on these tight, overburdened streets in our fair city?

[guy2073]

I am sure they care what he says.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by guy2073

I am sure they care what he says.

Bingo

[gg]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

[i]“Let me be the first politician to say publicly, I oppose any additional petrochemical companies coming to Western Pennsylvania,” he said to applause.

Peduto and his follows that use TONS of energy don't have a clue about real economics. Energy is the key to everything for our future. People are complaining, but the people complaining are too young to really grasp reality. It makes a difference if you are old enough to understand what bad times are like like Pittsburgh had when I was growing up. People losing their homes, and moving. Kids not having proper shoes, clothes. Heck people's water being shut off and so-on. I remember kids showering at school. Ah today's young are clueless. Peduto lives in his rich bubble and doesn't realize this energy sector could carry us though bad times that are SURE to come. He is too damn stupid, but when you live in a bubble that is what happens. Sort of like college professors. Dumb and can be really, but they can teach a certain subject.

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by gg

Peduto and his follows that use TONS of energy don't have a clue about real economics. Energy is the key to everything for our future. People are complaining, but the people complaining are too young to really grasp reality. It makes a difference if you are old enough to understand what bad times are like like Pittsburgh had when I was growing up. People losing their homes, and moving. Kids not having proper shoes, clothes. Heck people's water being shut off and so-on. I remember kids showering at school. Ah today's young are clueless. Peduto lives in his rich bubble and doesn't realize this energy sector could carry us though bad times that are SURE to come. He is too damn stupid, but when you live in a bubble that is what happens. Sort of like college professors. Dumb and can be really, but they can teach a certain subject.

I agree. Pittsburgh isn’t going to be the next Silicon Valley. It isn’t competing with east coast or west coast cities for jobs and talent. Pittsburgh isn’t the next liberal Mecca. The growth is going to be based around the energy industry. The jobs pay very well and the natural resource is abundant here. Why wouldn’t you want to embrace it? We hear about affordable housing and low wages. This is going to help fix that problem. I don’t understand we complain about income equality here and then jobs come and we are against it. All because it may cause some pollution. The zinc smelter on the same plot of land was there there for decades and polluted the water and air for decades. This is a much cleaner process. You don’t get to pick and choose and beggars can’t be choosers. I think it’s a shame that the mayor said those things. He is basically letting the suburbs and exurbs have all the jobs and economic growth coming with it. Just shortsighted and not very smart.

Catering to the limited number of computer geeks employed in Pittsburgh is not going to create a sustainable economy. You need industry with spinoff. People that aren’t techies need to work too. And judging from some responses on this board along with stagnation of the housing market those techie folks are the small minority. Everybody else is trying to hold on and make it.

[Independentthinking83]

Also the shale industry was given credit as to the reason why the population stabilized in the early 2010s. It was a huge wave of folks in migrating for those jobs

[Independentthinking83]

This industry is going to provide a lot of jobs. I think it is going to help revive manufacturing and become very high tech. I read this article below from the PG. I know there are people that align with Peduto on this. I live in the Lawrenceville and want these jobs.

To those that oppose the industry, if we don’t take advantage of this industry, then what are we going to be? What’s the plan then? You can’t pick and choose. The last 10 years the region has had wonderful press. The city has had dreams and tries to be something it probably will never become. The same leaders opposing becoming a petrochemical region are the same ones that wanted to give away the farm to Amazon. The gas industry has given money to local schools in the tri state area to train students. Big tech has given zero dollars to the region schools to train folks. Adding insult to injury Amazon is putting its distribution center in the suburbs over the city and the current one in the city will close. The distribution center is a poor consolation prize for a region that was going to give away the farm and is trying so hard to be the next Silicon Valley instead of being the natural fit for the petrochemical industry. What about Uber, they took Peduto for a ride, no pun intended. It didn’t end well either.

Also keep in mind this plant is brand new 2020s. We aren’t talking about a plant built 10-20 or 30 years ago lacking modern pollution controls.

The evidence I see is the petrochemical industry is willing to invest and be a good regional partner. High tech not so much. They just want to pluck the local talent from our colleges. Pittsburgh becoming anything more than that is just smoke and mirrors and blind faith talking points.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/en...s/201910300196

[gladhands]

If you have the opportunity to poison our air and water so a handful of hicks can afford F-150s and Stiller tickets, you gotta jump at it, right?