Shale Energy Industry Community Impact

Great opportunities often present great responsibility. Commercialization of shale gas presents a great responsibility for economic development professionals and civic leaders. Without effective planning there is a risk the community could experience an exhilarating boom period followed by a destructive bust.

Planning to ensure the community economy is stronger when the shale gas drilling is over than it was when the drilling started, is absolutely key to sustainable success.

One of the best ways to plan is to benchmark and learn from the experience of others. While no two communities will face exactly the same challenges, nor will solutions executed successfully in one community necessarily work in another. But, experience often helps provide perspective and it can help bring focus to the planning exercise.

Case Studies

Here are a few case studies that share the experience other communities have had with shale gas commercialization. They offer important insight, and collectively help make the case for the importance of planning to ensure a successful economic outcome.

The Fort Worth Texas Experience (PDF – large file)

The Sublette County Wyoming Experience (PDF – large file)

Bradford and Washington Counties Pennsylvania Experience (PDF – large file)

Energy Boomtown Paper (PDF – large file)

Educational Resources

http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/publications

http://cce.cornell.edu/EnergyClimateChange/NaturalGasDev/Pages/MarcellusShaleEconomicImpacts.aspx

http://www.chec.pitt.edu/MarcellusShale.html

http://www.bucknell.edu/x66771.xml

http://marcelluscoalition.org/

http://www.neienergy.org/resources.htm

The Challenge

To quote Zig Ziglar, “You must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win”. Commercialization of shale gas is transformational for a community. Effective planning is key to ensure the transformation is positive. While effective planning for something as complex as the emergence of a new industry is difficult, it can certainly be done. Committing to making the creation of a 10 – 15 year strategic plan a priority for community leaders is undoubtedly challenging. Actually creating, implementing and updating such a plan may feel impossible. But, it is a necessary and important challenge to guide a community to sustainable economic vitality and avoid the boom-to-bust cycle that can happen without proactive guidance.

Here are some posts that may help you think about how to approach the planning challenge.

https://strengtheningbrandamerica.com/blog/?p=792

https://strengtheningbrandamerica.com/blog/?p=778

https://strengtheningbrandamerica.com/blog/?p=740

What is Your Experience?

Share your thoughts and experience by writing a comment. By sharing, you help others learn and be better prepared to ensure shale gas commercialization is a positive catalyzing experience for their community.

Pay It Forward

If you liked this blog post forward it to a friend. If you have a Facebook account, become a fan of Strengthening Brand America. If you are a LinkedIn user, join the Strengthening Brand America Group. If you like twitter, follow BrandAmerica to keep track of updates on this website.

6 Comments  |    Forward this to a friend   |   Number of emails sent: 545

Category Leadership, Shale Gas

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.