Community members and industry representatives braved a chilly winter morning Dec. 12, 2019, to learn more about energy, industry and education during the “Think About Energy” Briefing at Madeline’s Restaurant, Fogelsville.

Matt Henderson, event organizer and owner of Henderson Consulting Services, introduced the panel of guests and keynote speaker, state Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-22nd, provided information on the briefing.

Schweyer said natural gas is a tremendous asset to Pennsylvania, but also acknowledged that the subject was controversial.

Henderson said he wanted the presentation to encourage dialogue and information-sharing on subjects including the opportunities and impact of natural gas production in Pennsylvania, workforce development and partnerships, and education opportunities for students to enter energy, manufacturing and other industry fields.

Bill desRosiers, external affairs manager for Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation, spoke about the numerous applications for natural gas, from heating and transportation to the production of plastics, fertilizer, synthetic gasoline and other useful products, and noted how the abundance of the resource has promoted economic development.

“That certainty of supply … has allowed companies to lower the cost of energy or in some cases keep the cost of energy stable, and as a manufacturer that consumes a lot of energy … that affordability drives job growth,” desRosiers explained.

Additionally, desRosiers emphasized Cabot’s dedication to infrastructure, health care and education investment.

He said Cabot has invested more than $70 million into improving roads in Susquehanna County, Cabot’s primary drilling region, and more than $1 million to fund the construction of a new hospital in the county.

On education, desRosiers said that Cabot actively donated money, supplied equipment and provided technical experience to more than 20 career and technical centers throughout Pennsylvania, including a partnership with Lehigh Career and Technical Institute to support students across all career and technical trades.

He also noted that the company had invested in a Mobile Oilfield Learning Unit for northern Pennsylvania, where middle school students can be introduced and educated on STEM subjects and energy concepts.

Grace Loeffler, director of academic and special programs at LCTI, said that the institute works closely with industry representatives who advise on curriculum, suggest equipment purchases and proctor end-of-program tests.

She noted how Cabot’s partnership has provided many opportunities for students, particularly those on financial aid, to be successful by promoting the development of professional skills.

“It doesn’t matter what program you’re in, because the goal is to have the workforce development happening at our school and have the kids be prepared,” Loeffler said.

She also pointed out that Cabot’s funding allowed many students to participate in student organizations like FBLA and HOSA.

“We are very thankful, and very grateful, for this opportunity to work with Cabot Oil as a partner; it has really made a huge impact on our students.”

Brad Webb, assistant dean in the Pennsylvania College of Technology’s School of Industrial Computing and Engineering Technologies, also spoke on industry and education, noting the growing demand for trained welders, machinists and other industry professionals and the need to attract more students.

He said that four million machinist positions are expected to open nationally in the next decade, but estimates show that only about half are expected to be filled.

“People are not going into these fields, which is a grave concern for our institution and for the manufacturing sector of America,” Webb said.

“The reality is we need more of these students because industry, the people in this room, need these students as well.”

Webb said that it was important to note that modern industry jobs are high-tech, computerized and automated.

He also wanted students to recognize the value of education, a full degree and good credentials toward attaining a good job in energy or manufacturing.

Schweyer also encouraged local students to enter industry fields.

He noted that Allentown School District, while one of the most economically disadvantaged districts in the state, was the largest producer of college-ready and workforce-ready students in the Lehigh Valley, and that many find work in the oil, shale and gas fields.

However, Schweyer noted that without proper exposure, the chance to secure these well-paying jobs may be lost to many students.

“For a lot of these kids … that’s the kind of career and opportunity that will set you up for the rest of your life, yet our kids have no idea that just a short drive away from downtown Allentown these opportunities exist,” Schweyer said.

He said it was incumbent on the public and partners such as Cabot to educate and guide students toward these professions, and commended LCTI for introducing students to different industry fields.

Schweyer also spoke about the impact of natural gas and the energy sector on communities.

He explained how early in his legislative career he visited a fracking site, which was a source of valuable income for the landowning farmer, and a waste coal plant, which was both producing electricity and actively reclaiming polluted land in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Schweyer noted that while he was a progressive Democrat, a member of the climate caucus and a supporter for increasing renewable energy usage, it was important to fully understand how these industries operate, and that through these tours he gained a new perspective on how communities interact with, and benefited from, these energy industries.

“We all need to move past our preconceived notions to be able to move on,” Schweyer said, “to be able to look at things from different perspectives … to make sure that we’re not causing damage to our overall economy … to our overall commonwealth simply because we have a feeling about something.”

During a question-and-answer session, then Lehigh County Commissioner-Elect Bob Elbich noted that while he appreciated Cabot’s support for education, he wanted to know what the company was doing to address climate change and environmental issues, particularly on behalf of children.

“With global warming and the leakages that happen from methane and so forth going into the environment … what is Cabot doing to work toward zero emissions?” Elbich asked.

“You have to put the effort into it, and you need to have the commitment as a corporation to do that for the future of our young people.”

DesRosiers noted that Cabot has an intrinsic interest as both a company and a “good corporate citizen” to make sure that leakages of methane or other gases do not occur and said that Cabot embraced robust regulations and laws governing natural resource development.

He highlighted the introduction of zero-bleed valves, preventive maintenance programs and monitoring technology, and the use of natural gas to fuel vehicles and rigs as examples of the company lowering its emission profiles.

The briefing marks the fourth time “Think About Energy” has visited the Lehigh Valley.

The event series started in 2013 to educate individuals and businesses across Pennsylvania about the opportunities afforded by the state’s large natural gas reserves.

According to Henderson and desRosiers, Pennsylvania is the second-largest producer of natural gas in the country behind Texas.

This year nearly 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas were produced in Pennsylvania, up from 5 trillion cubic feet in 2016.