July 2023

Supporting Pennsylvania's 4-H Programs

Seneca Resources is a longstanding supporter of Pennsylvania agriculture, including the Pennsylvania 4-H Livestock Program, which engages local youth in hands-on learning about animal care and agriculture. Students spend months raising an animal that is auctioned off at their local county fair. Animals include steers, pigs, goats, sheep, and chickens. Working with animals and participating in various activities within the program helps build self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment among the youth. They learn to set goals, overcome challenges, and adapt to different situations, all contributing to their personal growth.

"4-H teaches kids valuable life skills including work ethic, budgeting, and public speaking," said Marcus Heller, Advisor, Asset Management. Marcus' three children are 4-H members, participating in the livestock program each year. His daughter, Samantha, has been in the program for 11 years and is auctioning off a steer for the final time this year. "In addition to raising the animal, students must learn how to market themselves to potential buyers - going door to door to local businesses to present themselves and their animal that is up for sale."

Money from the sale goes back to the student and can be used to cover the expenses of raising the animal or purchasing another animal for the following year. Additional funds generated at the auction benefit the 4-H Scholarship Program, which supports members who attend college. Seneca Resources has been attending?the auctions and purchasing 4-H livestock for over ten years. Meat acquired through the auction is often donated to local food pantries.

"I've had people come up to me at the auction and say how grateful they are that Seneca has continued to support the youth in their area," said Marcus. "It means a lot to them that we show up year after year."

Penn State Extension funds Pennsylvania's 4-H programs. Program areas include STEM, agriculture, healthy living, and civic engagement.??

Click here for more information about Pennsylvania's 4-H program.

Shining a Light on Lower Emissions

Seneca Resources is replacing diesel-fueled lighting with electric stadium lights at some of its completions and drilling locations. A generator that runs off field gas (natural gas) powers the lights. Since these are the same generators that power field offices and crew trailers, there is no need for additional power on the pads. Depending on the pad configuration, one electric stadium light can replace up to six diesel-fueled lights, lowering emissions and eliminating the potential for spills that could occur while filling the fuel tanks. Seneca began piloting the new lighting about three years ago and has since installed approximately ten lights throughout its operations, with plans to expand the program.?

Honoring Teddy Horse

Seneca employees joined the American Legion Post 102 for a special ceremony honoring a unique local war veteran. Teddy was a cavalry horse that served with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s First Cavalry in World War II.?

Seneca employee Christopher Snell (photographed left) recently noticed that Teddy's gravesite, located off Sulgar Rd., in Brookville, PA, had become overrun with brush. Chris and other Seneca Serves volunteers cleared the area around the marker to make way for a new plaque commemorating Teddy's final resting place.

"I thought this would be an opportunity to bring awareness to the American Legion and a terrific way to honor those who have served us," said Chris.

"The site itself means a lot to me - it's a small piece of history near where I was raised and Seneca operates. Without upkeep, it could easily be lost or forgotten."

Legionnaires held a dedication ceremony and rendered a 21-gun salute in the horse's honor. Seneca Serves plans to continue working with the Legion to maintain the site.?

Annual Contractor Safety Meeting

Seneca's Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Team hosted its Annual Contractor Safety Meeting in State College at the end of July.?Over 200 contractors, across all aspects of our operations, attended the meeting.?A variety of important topics including near misses, mental health, driving safety, hazard assessments, and electrical safety were discussed.?The meeting provided a great forum for sharing best practices and communicating opportunities for improvement.?

The EHS Team will continue their contractor outreach efforts during the month of August, which they dubbed “Contractor Safety Month,” with a number of field-based safety meetings.?

Partnering to Improve Public Safety

Seneca recently wrapped up several significant road improvement projects in Middlebury Township, Tioga County. Planning and coordination for the projects began in early 2021 and involved working with local governments to identify and address their infrastructure concerns.

The projects included structural, environmental, and safety improvements along 8 miles of Cummings Creek Road/SR 4027 (in partnership with PennDOT) and more than three miles of township roads. In addition, crews replaced two bridges to address stormwater management, enhance and protect local waterways, and improve public safety. Seneca works closely with local townships and PennDOT throughout the planning, installation, and maintenance of stormwater management systems and employs special measures within roadway maintenance to prevent pollution at all times.?

Building a Sustainable Future

Seneca Resources and NFG Midstream President, Justin Loweth, participated in the American Exploration and Production Council's (AXPC) annual ESG Forum. Loweth spoke with AXPC President, Anne Bradbury about industry trends and provided insights on how the industry is building a sustainable future. The forum was held at?the Exxon Mobile Campus in Houston, Texas.?

Seneca Serves

Seneca Resources' employee volunteer program, Seneca Serves, has been busy this summer supporting causes throughout our communities. Most recently, volunteers spent time at Ronald McDonald House at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, preparing lunch for families who are staying at the center?while their children receive care.