TITUSVILLE, PA — On Friday, Independent Women’s Forum’s (IWF) Center for Energy and Conservation celebrated its second annual National Energy Appreciation Day (NEAD), observed on October 4, with a roundtable discussion in the heart of oil and gas country at the Drake Well Museum in Titusville, Pennsylvania. The event drew on the significance of the museum, named for Drake Well, who birthed the worldwide petroleum industry, to celebrate the importance of America’s domestic energy industry to modern life.
Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson and Sarah Phillips, a Pennsylvania petroleum engineer, joined Gabriella Hoffman, IWF’s Center for Energy and Conservation director and Brianna Howard, mayor of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania and IWF external relations manager, for a discussion about common misconceptions surrounding the American energy sector and how domestic energy production is key to economic growth as well as conservation and progress around the world.
“We gather here today, October 4th, in honor of our 2nd annual National Energy Appreciation Day celebration to recognize the importance of our domestic energy industry to modern life while celebrating the men and women who keep the lights on. There are so many misconceptions about American energy and energy producers, and we want to help correct those misperceptions and build a recognition of how America’s energy sector is a big part of making environmental progress and conserving and protecting our natural resources, as well as helping power our economy and leading to rising standards of living around the world,” said IWF’s Gabriella Hoffman.
“I’m just really thankful for Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Energy and Conservation for putting this opportunity together to spend some time to listen and share some thoughts. The story of petroleum specifically in the United States began right here [in Pennsylvania], and that story is one of leadership and innovation, and I think technology. It’s important to recognize the evolution of energy,” said Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA).
“I was at the RNC and I was speaking to an energy expert who toured the world, and he visited these hospitals where people only have energy at certain hours a day. And these hospitals had incubators, but the incubators weren’t always on. So he would watch people put these babies in these incubators, just praying that the energy would turn on, or that the electricity would turn on. I just can’t believe that so many people are suffering, and we’re not talking about that. And this is prevalent. We’re lucky, but we’re slapping the hands that feed us,” said Sarah Phillips.
“Celebrating National Energy Independence Day in the birthplace of our modern oil and gas industry marks a significant reminder of the importance of these precious resources and the value that the men and women who extract them provide for our economy and nearly every aspect of our lives. I was honored to join leaders from the Pennsylvania oil and gas industry to recognize this important day and thank the Americans who are working every day to power our country with their work in the domestic energy sector,” said Mayor Howard.
In honor of National Energy Appreciation Day, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), a cosponsor of H.Res.758, said: “Not only is Pennsylvania the birthplace of the American oil industry, but today it remains a global leader in energy production, particularly in natural gas. In fact, the Keystone State produces the second-most natural gas in the entire country. Pennsylvania’s energy industry has spurred an economic boom, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and supporting communities throughout the commonwealth. On National Energy Appreciation Day, it’s critical that we recognize Pennsylvania’s historic role in the American energy industry and the role it will play in America’s energy independence for years to come. Thank you to the Independent Women’s Forum for organizing such an important event!”
Background on National Energy Appreciation Day:
Inspired by how America’s modern energy system has made American lives and economic opportunity so much better, and concerned that the U.S. oil and gas industry has been needlessly attacked, jeopardizing our energy security and economic growth, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC) introduced a bicameral resolution to designate National Energy Appreciation Day last year.
Celebrating National Energy Appreciation Day:
- RECOGNIZES the vital role that energy plays in our economy and society, making everything we do possible.
- EDUCATES the public on how energy is accessed – the hard work and long-term planning that goes into safely bringing resources online.
- CELEBRATES how environmental progress has gone hand-in-hand with improved energy productivity.
- ELEVATES the women and men working in the energy field that deserve our recognition and gratitude.
Learn more about IWF’s Center for Energy and Conservation here.
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