Published: May 23, 2019 |

Amy Barkman.
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Range’s educational partnership program has provided more than $100,000 worth of grants for Washington County School Districts.
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Southwestern Energy also gives to nonprofits throughout the regions it serves,
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It may be easy to focus solely on the economic benefits of fracking in the Marcellus Shale region, but it is equally im­portant to recognize the many community-wide benefits of having large oil and gas companies throughout the area. Companies like Range Resources and Southwestern Ener­gy Company aren’t only interested in drilling through rock to find natural gas; they also hope to add real life value to the areas where they work by giving back to communities and providing educational resources wherever possible.

RANGE RESOURCES: STRIVING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Originating from Fort Worth, Texas, Range Resources has supported numerous community initiatives across the Marcellus Shale region, including United Way, Youth Agri­culture, Habitat for Humanity and National Wild Turkey Federation. The company is proud of the nearly $10 mil­lion in community giving it’s provided the region over the past few years and continues to look for new and innova­tive ways to help these communities grow. Range has des­ignated employee volunteer days and an annual employee match program.

Recently, the company stepped up after severe weather affected parts of Pennsylvania, offering support and organ­izing cleanup initiatives. Range Resources has also com­mitted approximately $1.5 million to provide educational opportunities through partnerships with programs like Junior Achievement, The Challenge Program and Future Farmers of America.

Range’s educational partnership program has provided more than $100,000 worth of grants for Washington Coun­ty School Districts designated for STEM education projects. The grants are being used for grades K through 12, and the students and teachers present their projects to Range employees each spring. In the past, the grants have helped fund 3D printers, coding software, tablets and even the cre­ation of a unique STEAM competition amongst the schools.

“While Range works to safely develop natural gas, we strive to be good neighbors to the communities in which we operate, and part of that includes working hand-in- hand with area nonprofit organizations,” explains Range Resources Director of Public Affairs Laural Ziemba.

“Since pioneering the Marcellus Shale, Range has pro­vided more than $10 million to a variety of community or­ganizations, but perhaps just as impactful, we have created a culture that encourages our employees to regularly vol­unteer and provided them with opportunities to give back to the communities where we live and work. At this point, our employees have accounted for more than 10,000 em­ployee volunteer hours.”

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY

Taking a slightly different, yet just as generous approach, Southwestern Energy, a company originating from Spring, Texas, invests the bulk of its community initiatives into providing educational resources throughout the Marcel­lus Shale region. The company has proudly donated to colleges and STEM programs throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia and even offers scholarships and intern­ship programs for students interested in careers related to the oil and gas industry. Southwestern Energy also gives to nonprofits throughout the regions it serves, offering in- kind donations, financial support and volunteer support. Southwestern employees have provided significant sup­port for disaster relief efforts following severe weather damage throughout the Marcellus Shale region.
Southwestern Energy also gives to nonprofits throughout the regions it serves, offering in-kind donations, financial support and volunteer support. Photos courtesy of Southwestern Energy

Southwestern Energy also gives to nonprofits throughout the regions it serves, offering in-kind donations, financial support and volunteer support. Photos courtesy of Southwestern Energy

Of the efforts Southwestern Energy is making to add educational value to the Marcellus Shale region, Corporate Communications Advisor Stephanie Nelson says, “We call our approach to supporting the communities where we operate ‘Social Energy,’ and it’s coordinated in such a way to maximize its impact across several focus areas: educa­tion, well-being, emergency response, clean air and wa­ter, family focus and support of military service members while [also] incorporating local needs.”

Nelson says the company is especially proud of its envi­ronmental record, pointing out that Southwestern Energy was recently rated top among 30 North American oil and gas companies for water and chemicals management best practices by two environmental sustainability advocacy and investment firms: As You Sow and Boston Common Asset Management.

OTHER OIL AND GAS COMPANIES SHOW THEIR SUPPORT

Range Resources and Southwestern Energy are doing an impressive job of adding value to the communities where they work, but they aren’t the only oil and gas companies stepping up to do so. Many other companies are promot­ing generosity, volunteerism and educational opportuni­ties across the Marcellus Shale region, which encompasses Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and southern New York.

Chesapeake Energy Company provides numerous in- kind donations and encourages employees to volunteer, allowing them a generous amount of company time in or­der to do so.

Cabot created a $2.5 million endowed fund for scholar­ships and other educational resources, and hosts several educational initiatives to help educate the community on the importance of STEM fields and education.

Chief Oil and Gas awards numerous sponsorships and supports multiple educational experiences for communi­ties throughout the Marcellus Shale region. This has pre­viously included supporting major events such as career and heritage fairs, Envirothons and stream restorations.

Shell is proud of the investments the company has made throughout Appalachia via monetary donations and environmental and educational sponsorships. Shell is a major sponsor of Pennsylvania’s Envirothon pro­gram, and it partners with first responders throughout the region to provide necessary support and training op­portunities.

These are just a few of the many oil and gas companies that are giving back to the Marcellus Shale region to ben­efit the current generation through generosity and edu­cation. To these companies, and others involved with the Marcellus Shale project, philanthropy is just as important as being good stewards of the land where they work.

Amy Barkman resides in Everett, Pennsylvania, with her husband and their five-year-old son. She is a freelance writer, editor and mar­keter with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Having grown up on a family dairy farm, Amy loves animals and being outdoors and enjoys hunting, fishing and traveling with her family.

By:  Amy Barkman, Pennsylvania Business Central