If you’re like most Americans, you might be asking yourself: “What is infrastructure?” Infrastructure is the foundation of our economy. It includes highways, public transit and water systems, airports and railroads. Or as former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told his then eight-year-old son: “It’s what Daddy blows up in movies.”
Edward Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania, shared that story at a forum of regional leaders convened by Philadelphia City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, “Philadelphia’s Infrastructure: A Pathway to Jobs, Economic Development and Sustainability.”
Johnson said:
As a District Councilman, I recognize that we need jobs. Investing in our road, bridges and alternative energy sources should be used to stimulate job creation and economic development, not only in Philadelphia but in the surrounding region.
One of those alternative energy sources – shale gas – is powering economic growth and America’s energy independence. A report by IHS found that unconventional gas development contributed economic activity of over $14 billion in Pennsylvania in 2012. The shale gas revolution directly and indirectly supported over 100,000 jobs. That number is projected to double by 2020.
Western Pennsylvania is the sweet spot for the Marcellus Shale formation. As a longtime advocate for minority-owned business enterprises, I was heartened by Sen. Anthony Williams’ commitment to ensuring a broad-based economic benefit:
It’s not just about western Pennsylvania. It’s about all of Pennsylvania… We in Philadelphia need to be in the middle of this conversation.
Fortunately the Oil and Gas Act, commonly referred to as Act 13, includes a provision to foster that conversation. Section 2316 provides:
(a) Requirement: Producers shall provide maximum practicable contracting opportunities for diverse small businesses, including minority-owned business enterprises, women-owned business enterprises and veteran-owned businesses.(b) Duties – Producers shall do all of the following:
(1) Maintain a policy prohibiting discrimination in employment and contracting based on gender, race, creed or color.
(2) Use the database available on the Internet website of the Department of General Services to identify certified diverse small businesses, including minority-owned business enterprises, women-owned business enterprises and veteran-owned businesses, as potential contractors, subcontractors and supplies for opportunities related to unconventional natural gas extraction.
(3) Respond to the survey under subsection (c) within 90 days.
(c) Survey – Within one year of the effective date of this section, the Department of General Services shall send all producers a survey to report the producers’ efforts to provide maximum practicable contracting opportunities related to unconventional gas extraction for diverse, small business participation.
It’s a truism that we manage what we measure. But somehow the Department of General Services managed to miss the Feb. 13, 2013, deadline for sending the survey.
Williams promised to fix that. He is a member of the State Government Committee to which DGS must submit an annual report on diverse small business participation. He will ask members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus to sign a joint letter to DGS to find out when the survey will be sent.
So where do we go from here? Johnson made it clear this was not a one-off event; rather, it was the 1st annual infrastructure forum. He plans to establish an Infrastructure Working Group to develop a long-term strategy to promote job creation and economic development.
For more information, contact Councilman Kenyatta Johnson’s office at (215) 686-3412.