Guest post by Chris Litton President of Littleton and Associates:

For over two hundred years, the Mahoning Valley has drawn people with the promise of a better way of life and a brighter future. Ten generations of my family have proudly called Trumbull County “home”.

Over the course of the last two centuries, the promise of a brighter future has transcended from fertile farmland, to steel production, to ultimately auto manufacturing. And while, over the last 40 years, the promise has been dimmed and many have left the Valley to seek opportunities in other parts of the country.  Once again, we have before us a great opportunity in the form of onshore energy development right here in Ohio.

The prospects of large shale deposits have already revived steel in the Valley. V&M Star has recently completed a $650,000 million expansion to their Youngstown plant to feed the demand for seamless drilling pipe used in oil and gas exploration. Industry analysts believe that $10 billion a year will be invested in the region over the next 10 years and $110 billion over the next 20 years.

READ MORE: http://www.eidohio.org/a-proud-past-a-bright-future-thanks-to-the-u...