Grow America’s Infrastructure Now (GAIN) is a coalition of businesses, trade associations, and labor groups that share a vested interest in creating jobs and strengthening our nation’s economy through infrastructure development. An op-ed by the Coalition’s spokesperson, Craig Stevens, recently published in the Canton Repository. In the piece, Mr. Stevens underscores the importance of infrastructure investment in Ohio, with projects like the Leach XPress Project, the Rover Pipeline, and the NEXUS pipeline generating a number of positive economic impacts for the state:
Pipeline developers, including TransCanada, Energy Transfer Partners, and Spectra Energy, have committed billions of dollars to filling this infrastructure gap, ensuring demand centers across the region have access to domestically produced natural gas. Projects such as the Leach XPress Project, the Rover Pipeline, and the NEXUS pipeline stand to drastically increase takeaway capacity for natural gas producers in Ohio, facilitating access to domestically produced energy resources for consumers throughout the region.
These projects will add thousands of well-paying construction jobs and millions of dollars of investment into local communities. In fact, the Youngstown Business Journal has already noted that union halls in Ohio are witnessing an increased demand for skilled construction workers, thanks to these energy infrastructure projects. As access to natural gas increases, economic benefits will spill over into the private sector, creating jobs and lowering operating costs for small businesses. State and local governments will reap millions in ad valorem taxes to allocate towards education and development projects.
Mr. Stevens goes on to discuss the safety of these pipeline projects, which are enhancing local communities through their ability to provide efficient transportation of energy resources with minimal impacts:
Pipelines like Rover, Leach XPress, and NEXUS will enable that access safely and efficiently. Today’s pipelines are safer than ever, incorporating the latest technologies during both construction and operation to ensure minimal impacts to local landowners and to communities along pipeline routes. Trained technicians are able to monitor pipelines around the clock and operate valves remotely, thereby better allowing for safe and efficient operation.
Naturally, with construction projects of this scale, accidents can happen — that’s why mitigation and response plans are a key element of any proposed project. Both state and federal regulators thoroughly review any project, along with its mitigation policies, prior to granting approval. These comprehensive strategies, combined with open communications between private companies and public regulatory agencies, guarantee that responses to any incident are prompt and that cleanup is taken care of expediently — with minimal impacts to environmental habitats or to local residents.
Ultimately, the responsible development of pipeline infrastructure presents a number of economic opportunities — from jobs created and funds invested during construction to facilitating access to energy resources for manufacturers, businesses, and domestic consumers. It’s critical that we support these projects in Ohio and throughout the Midwest in order to guarantee a bright economic future.
Mr. Stevens’ message is an important one, and CEPI is excited to read his input on projects that are having such a tremendous impact on the state of Ohio. We look forward to continued support for projects such as the Rover Pipeline – which stand to support the Midwest’s energy industry safely, responsibly, and efficiently.