Going grassroots in Pennsylvania: Marcellus players succeed when they build local relationships

摘要

The saying, "It's not what you know; it's who you know" definitely applies to operators in the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania. The Marcellus stands out as perhaps the most contentious shale play in North America thanks to a well-funded and organized opposition that has tried to convince local landowners that hydraulic fracturing contaminates their water wells. But navigating these pitfalls takes much more than a few PowerPoint presentations or locally distributed flyers, said Alan Novak, president and founder of Novak Strategic Advisors. Novak's firm, based in Pennsylvania, helps its clients establish community relationships through intense, personalized grassroots campaigns. Pennsylvania is not a bad place to do business, he said. It just takes some getting used to.