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"In any business, you need to understand the rules of the road and what is expected so you can develop a business plan," an industry leader told the Sun-Gazette, as reported in Monday's edition.
We believe that James D. Welty, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, is correct to be concerned about changes or revisions to the regulations that provide oversight to the natural gas industry fueling uncertainty and discouraging investment.
As we have editorialized frequently, we believe the United States and the world need energy development here in Pennsylvania -- including natural gas development.
This is not to say there should not be regulations -- there should. Nor is it to say that the regulations shouldn't ever change or be improved.
But our leaders, we hope, need to be mindful that frequent revisions will disrupt investment into developing a resource that, we believe, of which our future and our children's futures requires development. And our leaders need to be mindful that some activists are not seeking appropriate oversight in good faith but as a means to discourage development.
Our homes and employers need stable, affordable prices to heat and power their houses and businesses. Price increases pull revenues away from other expenses -- including, in the case of businesses, from payroll and employee benefits. Price increases for energy bills also tip the scales a little further toward price increases for consumer goods.
The logic that a higher electric bill leads grocery stores little choice but to increases shelf prices is straight-forward.
Energy development can help stabilize prices -- and create jobs here in Pennsylvania. And ensuring that stability, we believe, relies in part in diversity in energy sources.
Pennsylvania needs more gas production, more solar panels and wind turbines and more hydroelectric retrofitting of dams. Our nation needs more oil production and refining, more geothermal development and, perhaps, even more nuclear development.
The future viability of our economy -- and opportunities for Americans -- requires it.