Ridge Calls for Best Practices in Marcellus Drilling

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge discussed the risk management involved in today’s gas industry as it relates to the Marcellus Shale. But he said it was worth it to help drive economic energy and vitality into rural communities in the state will result in additional income and higher paying jobs.

“We have a chance — if we do it right — to embed the natural gas industry in an environmentally sound, economic significant way,” Ridge said.

Ridge’s talk focused on his work with the Marcellus Shale Coalition and the sweeping environmental polices he influenced during his tenure as the 43rd governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001. He developed the Growing Greener Initiative that provided critical funding to preserve the state’s rivers and streams, and Clean and Green legislation that helps preserve valuable land for agricultural use.

Ridge’s talk was part of the annual Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. The lecture series is co-sponsored by the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research and the University Lecture Series. The theme for this year’s talks are around environmental problems for Marcellus Shale extraction.

To watch a video of Ridge’s talk visit http://wms.andrew.cmu.edu:81/nmvideo/CIT/Ridge_event2-3-11.mov.

Civil and environmental engineering faculty Kelvin Gregory (from left), Peter Adams and Jeanne VanBriesen discuss Marcellus Shale issues with former Gov. Tom Ridge prior to his CMU talk.