Spigelmyer

HARRISBURG — A Cranberry Township man is the new face of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, the high-profile group of companies that are active in Pennsylvania's booming natural gas industry.

David Spigelmyer is the second president to head the group.

Spigelmyer is a former vice president of government relations at Chesapeake Energy's eastern division and Marcellus Shale Coalition chairman. He was picked by the executive board of the approximately 300-member coalition, the group said Monday.

The coalition formed in 2008 as interest began spreading in the gas in the Marcellus Shale, which lies deep underneath of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York and is thought by geologists to be the nation's largest-known natural gas reservoir. The group includes Chevron, Shell and Range Resources.

Kathryn Klaber, Spigelmyer's predecessor, worked her last day at the coalition on Friday. She had announced over the summer that she was leaving her position.

Spigelmyer, 53, arrives at a time when natural gas production from Marcellus Shale is changing the face of energy in Pennsylvania, if not the United States, but also at a time when the industry still faces challenges.

The coalition is aggressively criticizing Democratic gubernatorial candidates who are proposing to raise taxes on the industry. The state's high court also is considering a challenge to an industry-favored law that limits the ability of municipalities to control drilling activity. Also, drilling is shut down in an area of northeastern Pennsylvania where water is regulated by the Delaware River Basin Commission.

Spigelmyer said he will not shy away from taking on top public officials, such as gubernatorial candidates, over their stance on natural gas.

“I'm going to do whatever it takes to help my members be successful and invest capital in Pennsylvania,” Spigelmyer said.

The industry is still a target for some environmental groups opposed to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the technique that drillers use to siphon gas from shale deposits underground, and some residents and public officials maintain that drilling and industry impact have ruined their health, water or livelihood.

Asked if he would have done anything differently, Spigelmyer said he thinks the group has engaged the public from the beginning and must continue to spread its message of economic good that does not compromise environmental protection.

“Those in public office, most of them get it,” Spigelmyer said. “They're watching the fact that we're growing jobs and economic opportunity. You don't have to make a false choice. Our opponents are out there pitting our industry against the environment. We can do this right.”

When the group formed five years ago, Pennsylvania produced 198 billion cubic feet of natural gas, according to government estimates. Bentek, a Colorado company that analyzes energy trends, estimated recently that Pennsylvania's production from the Marcellus Shale was on track to hit 3.2 trillion cubic feet this year.

Spigelmyer views the construction of a petrochemical processing plant — an ethane “cracker” — as the next big development for the Marcellus Shale, both as a big new customer for the industry and a foundation for a 21st-century manufacturing industry in Pennsylvania.

“For us to get the 'aha' from Pennsylvania, cracking technology is absolutely critical,” Spigelmyer said. “That's why we're all hopeful that a cracker gets developed in Pennsylvania sooner rather than later.”

<b>Address: </b>Cranberry Township<b>Employment: </b> New president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, former vice president of government relations at Chesapeake Energy’s eastern division<b>Education: </b>Pennsylvania State University, bachelor’s degree in public service<b>Family: </b>Wife Francie, who is the vice president of academic affairs for Butler County Community College; son John and daughter Suzanne<b>Other interests: </b>He serves on the board of directors for the Moraine Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation, the Keystone Elk Country Alliance and the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.