Kathrine Schmidt’s recent story (“Natural-gas development brings mixed impacts”) illustrates the positive economic impact of the Haynesville Shale and how newfound natural-gas supplies are an economic and environmental game-changer for Louisiana and our nation.

As the piece noted, the Haynesville Shale is proving to be potentially the largest source of land-based natural gas in America, and as such, natural-gas drilling activity in the region has propelled Louisiana into one of the top five highest states of natural-gas employment in the United States.

According to a study by IHS Global Insight, the U.S. natural-gas industry supports more than 2.8 million jobs, including more than 266,000 in Louisiana alone, and in 2008, the natural-gas industry contributed $24.5 billion in value-added economic output to the state.

Thanks to advanced technologies and exciting discoveries such as Haynesville, those numbers are expected to rise in the coming years.

Natural gas already plays an integral role in our nation’s energy production and will continue to do so moving forward.

In the U.S., natural gas is used in one-fifth of the nation’s electricity production, serves as a cleaner transportation fuel and provides heat and hot water for 65 million households.

And perhaps the most important factor is that it’s ours.

Currently, 98 percent of the natural gas used in America is produced domestically.

We stand on the doorstep of a new energy landscape in this country, and advanced technologies have made the Haynesville Shale an important piece to the puzzle.

There is a cleaner, economically prominent energy future within reach.

In fact, it’s in our back yard.

Regina Hopper

President and CEO of

America’s Natural Gas Alliance

Washington, D.C.

Buck