HARRISBURG – Rep. Joshua D. Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) issued the following statement regarding the findings of the economic impact study on the Shell petrochemical facility in Potter Township, Beaver County.

“The facility, known as the cracker plant, is a tremendous asset to Beaver County, the region and Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth is a more competitive, fruitful place for business when opportunities like this present themselves. This 800-acre facility will undoubtedly have significant bearing on the state economy now and in the future. It is now our job to leverage this asset to boost manufacturing opportunities.

“As a state representative, I take great pride in economic prosperity and job creation. There have been employment opportunities missed in the Commonwealth, but I am proud that we were able to capitalize on this chance to bring economic stability and jobs to the region. During the construction phase, nearly 8,000 workers were employed at the pinnacle of this project. Once the facility is operational, hundreds of workers will be employed to carry out day-to-day tasks. It is time to put Pennsylvanians back to work.

“I thank professors Steve Clinton, Marcel Minuolo and Brian O’Roark, as well as Robert Morris University (RMU), for conducting this important study. I also extend my gratitude to Shell for commissioning RMU to carry out this project. I look forward to the facility’s first workday in 2022.”