April 14, 2026
The following statement can be attributed to Ken Zapinski, Director of Research and Public Policy for Pittsburgh Works Together:
My name is Ken Zapinski. I am director of research and public policy for Pittsburgh Works Together, a business-organized labor alliance working to create quality jobs that provide economic opportunity for all segments of the community.
Healthy communities need healthy and robust economies. That is why we support Shell Polymers and the approval of its Plan Approval application.
In the interest of time, I will touch on three specific points:
First, DEP’s proposed permit complies with all relevant environmental regulations, and the DEP staff has determined that the proposed changes will not significantly deteriorate air quality. To reject the permit would provide an indication that Pennsylvania is NOT open for business, regardless of what the Governor might claim.
Companies will see it as one more indication that there are easier places than southwestern Pennsylvania to do business, create jobs, and support the community. And they will take their money and jobs and community support elsewhere.
Second, our region is already doing poorly when it comes to keeping and growing good-paying jobs. Our research found southwest Pennsylvania is the worst-performing region in the state for creating manufacturing, energy, construction and other jobs that produce tangible things for society.
They provide economic opportunity for broad segments of the community, and on average they pay 33% more than private-sector service jobs. And not only are we in last place in Pennsylvania, but we are also really getting clobbered by our Ohio competitors, Columbus, Cincinnati, and even Cleveland.
We have nearly 10 percent fewer of those kinds of jobs than we did pre-COVID, while our competitors are streaking ahead.
Third, any claims that Shell and its cracker are ruining Beaver County are not supported by the data. In reality, more people are moving to Beaver County now, since the Shell investment, than any time this century.
Prior to the plant opening in 2022, only three times in the previous 20-plus years had more people moved into the county than moved out. Yet over the past three years, nearly 2,200 more people have moved into Beaver County than have moved out.
No county in southwest Pennsylvania has enjoyed that kind of population turnaround and the timing coincides with the Shell investment. The only county that comes close is our neighbor immediately to the north, Lawrence, which saw more people leaving every year since 2000. Now, for four of the past five years, the migration has been positive.
Healthy communities need healthy and robust economies. Approving the Shell Polymers’ Plan Approval Application will keep the momentum going.
Pittsburgh Works Together is a business-organized labor-workforce-economic development alliance working to grow jobs and expand the industries that are the foundation of our economy, including energy, manufacturing, and construction, to provide opportunity for all residents.
Ken Zapinski
Director of Research & Public Policy
ken@pghworks.com
412-352-4364
