Technological breakthroughs in the energy production process continue to advance daily. These advancements – which are responsible for delivering affordable, clean-burning energy to American families, small businesses and manufacturers – help ensure that energy exploration is properly balanced with, and even used to help enhance, the imperative of keeping our air, land and water safe. At the same time, thanks in large part to these new developments, good-paying jobs are being created in the natural gas production industry from shale plays in Pennsylvania all way down to Arkansas, as well as a host of other regions throughout the country.

In a weekend story entitled “Proposed Wysox recycling plant for gas industry would not discharge into sewer system”, the Towanda (PA) Daily Review reports this:

Wysox Township is the preferred location for a plant that Eureka Resources LLC would construct to recycle waste water from hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale, one of the owners of Eureka Resources said this week.

The plant, which would be located at the site of the Agway store on Sullivan Street in Wysox Township, would remove the salt, chemicals and other components from the waste water, said Daniel Ertel, one of the owners of Eureka Resources LLC.

All of the treated water would then be returned to gas well sites where it would be re-used in gas drilling operations, including hydraulic fracturing, he said.

The plant would not discharge any water or waste products into streams, rivers or sewer systems, he said.

“It will be a 100 percent recycling facility,” he said.

And yesterday, the Associated Press reports this under the headline “Ark. city lands $15 million manufacturing plant”:

A manufacturer specializing in technology to help increase oil and gas production plans to build a $15 million plant in Van Buren, employing about 50 workers by the summer.

Oxane Materials Inc. says it plans to expand the plant through 2014, with an expected total investment of $32 million and additional employment of up to 300 workers.

While Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming, North Dakota, Louisiana and Arkansas – just to name a few – continue to bolster job and revenue growth through energy production, some states are sitting on their hands. Under New York lies a considerable portion of the Marcellus shale. However, some state policymakers remain committed to adding layers of bureaucratic red tape around the shale gas production process in the state. Some even want an outright ban on this job-creating production.

Thankfully though, there is still time for New Yorkers to send their state leaders the message that it is now time to move forward with responsible, heavily-regulated, 21^st century shale production in the Empire State. And as illustrated above, today’s energy production technologies safeguard and protect the environment and water resources. Struggling families and the thousands out of work residents need this economic activity now more than ever.