WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa --- Ohio Valley leaders stand to learn a lot about capitalizing on the gas industry from what’s already happened elsewhere, including in Washington County, Pa.

             Industry and community leaders estimate that production and economic impact there is anywhere from a few months to a few years ahead of the Ohio Valley.

             Early indications are that what proved successful in Washington County is already being implemented locally to maximize job and economic growth and to minimize the potential for unintended consequences.

             “Ohio is getting an opportunity to sit back and watch what happened here in Pennsylvania for the last seven years,” said Range Resources spokesman Mark Windle. “It’s a benefit to them not only economically, environmentally, but also regulatory, too.”

            Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi says he’s seen the gas industry grow in the region and said that over all the impact has been positive even though there have been complaints.     

            “Mistakes and accidents can happen and they do happen,” Maggi said. “I’m not going to say they don’t.”

             Maggi says that Washington County has been successful in putting people back to work because, after initially seeing a limited number of local jobs created, public and private leaders engaged drilling companies to find out what positions needed filled and to learn how local workers could be trained to fill them.

             Now he says that nearly anyone who wants a job in the gas industry can find one.

             “That’s true [that they don’t employ many local workers] for the first couple years,” he said. “But now we are employing our own people.”

             Maggi and fellow commissioner Harlan Shober both agree that communication with drilling companies is a major factor in reducing community disruption.

             “By getting and building that relationship with them, you’re going to find that’s probably more important than anything you’re going to have on paper,” Shober said.       

            Shober also noted that communities are best served by establishing rules and regulations before the industry moves into the area.

  Shober said he worked with gas companies a lot during his time as Chartiers Township supervisor and that many of the problems encountered during the drilling process, including damaged roads, were eventually remedied.          

            “They put drainage in. They put in a base underneath [the roads] and they blacktop these roads better than we could have afforded to do,” he said.

             Ed Looman, executive director of Progress Alliance, believes what’s going on elsewhere isn’t going unnoticed. Looman said that leaders in Jefferson County have been proactive -- laying a foundation that will create jobs and address potential issues head-on.

            “Out county commissioners have been way out in front of this with the foundation of the county oil and gas committee,” Looman said. “[They are] taking a look at some of the issues we’re going to have.”         

            Looman noted that communication with drilling companies has already been initiated and that the county has already passed a road use agreement.

            Jefferson County has also hosted a number of speakers who have helped the local community be better prepared for what the gas industry will bring.

            Events have also been held to recruit local workers, including graduating high school students, and several community colleges have introduced programs to train for jobs in the gas industry.

         “This isn’t going to be something that comes and goes,” Looman said. “Once it gets up and running, it’s going to be here for a while.”