Washington County Airport

R unning in a diagonal swath southwest to northeast, about a mile under more than half of Pennsylvania, is a massive pocket of fossil fuel known as the Marcellus Shale. Previously thought to be impenetrable, its untapped natural gas reserves became accessible around 10 years ago as a result of hydraulic fracturing. Washington County, Pennsylvania became home to the first Marcellus well and there is more drilling and production happening there now than in any other county in the state. Sitting right at the heart of Marcellus Shale country is the Washington County Airport, a 401 acre, 92 aircraft, publicly-owned general aviation facility located 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. It has enjoyed an upward trajectory of growth over the last number of years in connection with the rebirth of resource extraction in the mid-2000s. “Washington County has been dubbed the Energy Capital of the East,” shares Bill McGowen, the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington. “It has worked out very well for us. We get a lot of business to our Airport with the energy revolution that is happening around gas. It’s not just the shale gas, but all the fluids that come along with that.” Gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale contains natural gas liquids – ethane, butane, and other “-tanes”– that can be separated and sold on their own. “We also have the Meadows Racetrack and Casino here, which turns over a portion of its revenue to the County,” McGowen continues. “When we want to build another set of T-hangars or get something AT A GLANCE WASHINGTON COUNTY AIRPORT WHAT: A publicly-owned, general aviation facility WHERE: South Franklin Township, Pennsylvania WEBSITE: www.washingtoncountyairport.com IC ENGINE