Lt. Governor Cawley Announces Marcellus Shale Work Group Meetings

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The four working groups set up by the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission will hold initial meetings during the week of April 11, Lt. Governor Jim Cawley said today.

Each meeting will start at 10 a.m. in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg and will be open to the public.

"The goal of these work groups is to delve more deeply into the many issues surrounding Marcellus shale and the potential it holds for Pennsylvania. This work will play a key role in the final report we will present to Governor Corbett in July," said Cawley.

The Infrastructure Work Group, chaired by acting Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch, will meet on Monday, April 11. The vice chair of this panel is Chris Masciantonio, general manager of state government affairs for U.S. Steel.

The Public Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Work Group, chaired by acting Secretary of Environmental Protection Mike Krancer, will meet on Tuesday, April 12. The vice chair is Cynthia Carrow, vice president of the Western PA Conservancy.

The Local Impact and Emergency Response Work Group, chaired by PEMA Director Glenn Cannon, will meet on Wednesday, April 13. Lycoming County Commissioner Jeff Wheeland is the vice chair.

Finally, the Economic and Workforce Development Work Group, chaired by acting Secretary of Community and Economic Development Alan Walker, will meet on Thursday, April 14. The vice chair is Gene Barr, vice president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.

Cawley said the full committee memberships and meeting agendas will be posted on the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission webpage, which is hosted by the Department of Environmental Protection's website. Visit www.depweb.state.pa.us and enter "Marcellus shale advisory" in the search bar; the first result will be the commission's page.

The next meeting of the full advisory committee will be April 27. The public is welcome to share comments with the commission by emailing: [email protected].

Media contact:  Chad Saylor, 717-787-3300

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Lieutenant Governor