To The Editor,
Natural gas has numerous benefits in Pennsylvania — it’s plentiful, incredibly efficient, and provides cost-savings to consumers. But there is one advantage that doesn’t garner much media attention: Natural gas is environmentally friendly.
In fact, natural gas is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, and the industry continues to develop more innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Natural gas emits 50-60 percent less carbon dioxide when combusted in a new, efficient natural gas power plant, compared with emissions from a typical new coal plant.”
In the last twenty years we’ve witnessed companies make impactful energy upgrades to modernize their outdated manufacturing plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to become more environmentally friendly. The most recent example of this involves our members with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 654 is in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Kimberly Clark Inc. is investing more than $150 million over three years to transition from burning coal to burning cleaner fuel for energy supply. This change will increase energy efficiency and will greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The natural gas industry continues to evolve and adopt environmentally friendly practices. The project in Chester is an excellent example of how becoming kinder to our environment and creating family sustaining infrastructure jobs can be accomplished. I am hopeful that other companies will see the incredible work that Kimberly Clark is doing in Chester County and will follow suit.
William Adams
President -IBEW 654
Boothwyn, PA
