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Can a Pencil Change Hydraulic Fracturing?

Fossil Fuels

Nobel-ignorer Bob Dylan sang: “Now, a very great man once said. That some people rob you with a fountain pen.”  That very great man was, of course, Woody Guthrie. The adage “the pen is mightier than the sword” reminds us that writing—and the thinking behind it—can have more influence on the world than the use of force.

OK.  Pens are powerful.

Dangerous.

Even, sometimes, agents of change.

How about pencils?

I’ve learned a few things about natural gas development in my too-brief time as secretary of both of Pennsylvania’s environmental agencies, as well as in my consulting practice.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that a sharp pencil may be the best tool to apply to the urgent task of more responsible and sustainable production of natural gas.

If you’d like to find out what I mean by that, please join me for my public lecture: The Business Case for Sustainable Hydraulic Fracturing on Monday, November 7 at 5:30 PM at the Kleinman Center.

John Quigley

Senior Fellow, Kleinman Center

John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center and previously served on the Center’s Advisory Board. He served as Secretary of the PA Department of Environmental Protection and of the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.