Business View Civil & Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 8

82 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8 S pread across 400 square miles of rural Appalachian foothills in the Seven Ranges of Ohio, Harrison County is a quiet powerhouse of oil and gas production in America. Sitting at the northeastern hub of the U.S. petrochemical industry, between the Utica and Marcellus shales and within 600 miles of 60 percent of the continent’s manufacturing centers, it’s become the epicenter of US shale production allowing it to become one of Ohio’s top-performing local economies. The landscape for shale and renewable energy investments in Harrison County is ripe with opportunity, with spending on shale- related activities in Ohio reaching $86.4 billion in 2019, according to a Cleveland State University analysis. Add to those the significant land royalty payments to local residents, increased tax revenues ($11 million generated between 2010 and 2015), and improved transportation infrastructure ($31.4 million spent on building and improving 54.75 miles of roads), while maintaining Harrison County’s natural beauty, and you’ve got real evidence that businesses should be looking to capitalize on the new global economy in Harrison County. “There’s this converging appeal to Harrison County,” begins Dana Saucier, Vice President and Head of Economic Development for JobsOhio. “It’s full of rolling hills, lush forests, lots of outdoor activities, plus this amazing Muskingum Watershed area. It’s also been blessed with incredible geology thousands of feet below it that has allowed for an industry TY, Ohio Where the new global economy begins