Critz pinpoints shale drilling, federal budget woes

By Tim Karan
LEADER TIMES
Friday, August 26, 2011

U.S. Rep. Mark Critz, D-Johnstown, told local business leaders he's just as frustrated with federal budget talks as they are, but that on a hopeful note the recent Marcellus shale gas drilling will lead to more jobs in the region.

At a luncheon Thursday at the Belmont Complex in East Franklin, he spoke on a wide range of topics to about 60 members of the Armstrong County Chamber of Commerce.

"With Marcellus shale, there's opportunity we haven't seen in generations," he said. "We still have a thriving coal industry, nuclear energy with Westinghouse, windmills in Ebensburg and solar power in the Monongahela Valley. With Marcellus shale natural gas, Western Pennsylvania can be the energy capital of the world."

The centerpiece of Critz's goals is to bring a methane cracker to the area, which he believes would create jobs not only at that facility, but at manufacturers he said would be drawn to relocate into the region.

"Companies like to be near where their energy source is," he said. "If we have this huge amount of natural gas, that means companies will start looking to bring their businesses here."

Along with Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, he formed the Marcellus Shell Gas Caucus in Congress to head up the initiative.

"My goal is to be a part of bringing (a methane cracker) here," he said. "If I can create jobs for generations to come, that's a success in my book."

While at least one attendee questioned the safety of the gas drilling, Critz assured the board that every precaution is being taken.

"The Department of Environmental Protection is really keeping on these folks," he said. "The drilling companies going after the gas are also doing everything in their power to do things the right way. A site is a $5 million to $10 million investment, so if they do something wrong, that's their money wasted."

As for the budget crisis in Washington, Critz said he is frustrated with the push to blindly make drastic cuts.

"What we're doing in D.C. right now is not anything close to being a plan," he said. "There are a lot of folks who look at a spreadsheet and say, 'Well, we can cut here and here.' But there are people on the other side of every decision we make, and we need to look at the short-term and long-term costs. To me, you've gotta spend money to make money."

Among other topics covered:

• Health Care:

"Medicare — which is about 50 percent of all health care in the U.S. — is unsustainable in its current form. We can't eliminate it and we can't turn it into a defined contribution plan because that would hurt too many people. Do I know the solution? I really don't. But Medicare is part of the problem, so it has to be part of the solution."

• Deficit Reduction "Super Committee":

"From the members I've talked to and what I've read, they know they have to come up with something. There can't be any, 'I disagree, so I'm walking away.' There's going to be pain across a lot of different programs, but hopefully it's a plan for the future."

• Redistricting:

"There are three Democratic congressmen in Western Pennsylvania. When redistricting's over, there could be two. The rumor is that (districts of) Jason Altmire and I would be put together. But I don't know how they'd do that. It's a geographic nightmare."