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Pennsylvania Energy Executive Patrick Henderson was a guest speaker at the PA Chamber's recent DEP Quarterly meeting, which was held on Thursday, Sept. 22 at the PA Chamber offices in Harrisburg.

Appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett as the first energy executive in Pennsylvania's history, Henderson addressed an audience of environmental professionals from PA Chamber-member businesses, focusing on the Marcellus Shale industry and the report recently issued by the governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission.

Henderson reported that the commission – tasked with studying the economic and environmental impacts of natural gas drilling and charting a course for the industry's future – issued 96 recommendations to the governor after holding five full committee meetings and 16 work group meetings.

Henderson noted that he was proud to have served on the commission with PA Chamber Vice President Gene Barr. He voiced his appreciation for early instruction by commission Chairman Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley to remove the heavily debated topic of an industry tax from the table. He said this allowed for a more robust discussion on other critical issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale industry, namely environmental protection in areas of the Commonwealth where drilling is occurring.

Henderson said while natural gas drilling is a critical component of Pennsylvania's energy portfolio in terms of the jobs and energy independence it allows, it should be developed based on the successes and failures learned from natural gas drilling in other states and should be viewed as a promising new sector within a diverse mix of energy industries.

Addressing the question on whether local, state or federal government experts should have the majority of oversight for natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania, Henderson expressed both confidence in the state's ability to regulate the industry and hope that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection can set the standard for regulation in light of the work it has done to responsibly develop the industry. He encouraged continued dialogue among all government entities to ensure that a shared understanding can be reached on the rules that drilling companies need to follow.

Henderson also personally thanked the PA Chamber for its input in developing the recommendations and supporting productive dialogue among energy industry leaders and the Commonwealth's regulatory agencies. He told PA Chamber members in attendance that the governor will likely be unveiling certain recommendations from the commission this fall, beginning a spirited discussion on the future of the natural gas industry.

A PA Chamber member-exclusive event, DEP Quarterly provides an opportunity for the business community to hear directly from top DEP officials about current environmental regulations and other issues facing the regulated community.

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Founded in 1916, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state's largest broad-based business association, with its membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of Business.