Businesses that want to drill in the Marcellus Shale could tap into a lot of money.

A new report prepared by Natural Resource Economics for the American Petroleum Institute shows the natural gas reserves are worth at least $2 trillion to businesses and billions in tax revenues to state governments.

Part of that shale formation is in Rockingham County.

The issue has divided residents after a business filed for a special-use permit with county. The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors tabled the request by Carrizo (Marcellus) LLC several months ago as members study the impacts of natural gas drilling.

Areas like Bergton and Criders could look a lot different if the county allows the drilling to go forward.

At Bergton Grocery, shoppers had mixed feelings about it Thursday.

Woody Brown says he lives within about 500 yards of a proposed drilling site.

"As long as we can do something where we don't have to depend on foreign oil or gas, I think it's great. I think we're letting too much of our money go out of the country," says Brown.

Some people have concerns about impacts to the roads in the area.

Others are concerned that the process, called hydrofracking, could cause water contamination.

County Supervisor Pablo Cuevas represents the area where drilling is proposed to happen.

"We don't feel the permitting process is coordinated well enough for us to trust what they're doing," says Cuevas.

He says he feels less comfortable about allowing drilling since the board tabled the initial request.

Speaking about the new report about the economic impacts of drilling in the Marcellus Shale, Cuevas says, "Some of the parts of some other states are stressed economically to the point that they feel like they have to risk and take those chances. I don't think that's the case in Rockingham County."

Currently, hydrofracking is exempt from federal regulation. Various states set their own rules.

The Environmental Protection Agency is holding a hearing Thursday night in Pennsylvania as it studies the impacts on human health and the environment the process has.

There's no deadline or date set for Rockingham County to vote on whether or not to allow natural gas drilling.

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