My name is Shawn Bennett and I am very excited to be part of this important campaign. Born and raised in Guernsey County, I am honored to be back at home working with the great folks of Eastern Ohio.

A little bit about me. I graduated from Ohio University and after, I worked for the Committee on House Administration in Washington, DC. For the past 6 years I have worked as the Government Affairs Manager for the Ohio Coal Association advocating fair laws and regulations for Ohio’s coal industry.

When approached about this project I jumped at the opportunity to come back to Eastern Ohio. Shale exploration has just begun here and you can already feel the excitement in the air. From public officials to the teller at the bank, everyone is buzzing about shale.

As stewards of the industry, we must present the public with facts about the safety, environmental measures and economic benefits of shale exploration. As Tom Stewart mentioned, the development of Utica Shale has the potential to generate some 200,000 jobs and $12 billion in wages. Talk about an economic shot in the arm.

In the days and weeks to come, we’ll be posting quite a bit of information here at www.eidohio.org, much of which will focus on what we’re hearing in the communities of Eastern Ohio.

However, I would be remiss if I did not mention one topic that many of you may have heard about or read about in the local newspaper: hydraulic fracturing.

Hydraulic fracturing or HF, is a time-tested technique energy companies deploy to enhance the flow of oil and natural gas for hydrocarbon-bearing rock formations. This is not a new technology and it is not new to Ohio. The gas company who drilled a shallow well on my grandparents’ farm some 30 years ago, utilized hydraulic fracturing to complete the well. To this day, after our weekly Sunday dinner, my entire family fills up jugs of water from the well because it is superior to our city water. This is proof that oil and gas exploration in Ohio can be done safely and is a well-regulated process.

I am thrilled to be a part of this campaign. I cannot wait to meet and work with the good people of Eastern Ohio to see that fact-based information drives the debate surrounding shale development. This could possibly be the economic renaissance Eastern Ohio has been waiting for.