Monday, October 29, 2012

PA Marcellus News Digest 10/29/12

PA Marcellus News Digest
October 29, 2012

Release

White: State caught red-handed illegally withholding impact fees
Court sides with local townships and tells PUC to ‘cease and desist’ from reviewing ordinances
Oct 26
Commonwealth Court today ordered that the state Public Utility Commission had no authority to review local gas drilling ordinances and subsequently withhold Marcellus Shale drilling impact fee payments in four townships challenging the state’s drilling law, announced state Rep. Jesse White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington, who fought the agency's decision.

Articles

Environmentalists' report finds health effects from Marcellus drilling
Central Penn Business Journal
Tim Stuhldreher
Oct 23
The Marcellus Shale Coalition is disputing a report released last week that says natural-gas drilling in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale regions is harming the health of people nearby.

State's Marcellus Shale drilling fee miscalculated
Post-Gazette
Laura Olson
Oct 27
Implementation of the state's new Marcellus Shale gas drilling law has hit more obstacles, with officials saying they miscalculated how much some towns will receive in new fees and a state judge ordering a halt to ongoing ordinance reviews.

DEP plans hearing on natural gas turbine at German Twp. compressor station
Herald Standard
Oct 26
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will host an open house and public hearing on a permit application from Laurel Mountain Midstream LLC for the construction and operation of a natural gas-burning turbine, emergency generator and other new equipment at its Shamrock Compressor Station in German Township on Tuesday.

Water contamination complaints filed due to drilling
Times Online
Rachel Morgan
Oct 25
Over the past two years, there were 11 complaints filed in Beaver County with the state Department of Environmental Protection by residents who claimed their water was contaminated because of oil and gas activity, DEP officials said.

Superstar of natural gas: With the Marcellus Shale, Pa. is becoming a responsible energy capital
Post-Gazette
Michael Krancer and Patrick Henderson
Oct 29
Recent reports from Standard & Poor's and ITG Investment Research show the amount of recoverable gas in the Marcellus Shale play may be much greater than any previous government estimate. This is good news. Real American energy security and a real force in American job growth are available to us right now -- if we continue to make the right decisions to obtain and use what we have right here.

Use Marcellus Shale wisely to alleviate Pennsylvania pension crisis
Patriot-News
Heather Long
Oct 28
What’s on voters’ minds? The Patriot-News asks every candidate we interview what they are hearing as they travel the state. Those running for Congress say what you would expect: The economy and jobs are at the top of people’s concern list.

Pennsylvania miscalculated shale gas impact money for local governments
Pitt Trib
Tom Fontaine  and Mike Wereschagin
Oct 26
The state Public Utility Commission said on Friday that it miscalculated how much drilling-impact fee money it will dole out to local governments by up to $1 million.

Oil, gas industry urged to be more transparent
Post-Gazette
Don Hopey
Oct 25
The rapidly expanding oil and gas industry is not required to report toxic chemical releases related to drilling and hydraulic fracturing to federal regulators like many other industries, but 17 environmental groups say it should.

Pa. utility agency scolded by judge, admits error
Patriot-News
AP
Oct 26
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission was ordered Friday by a state judge to stop reviewing or challenging municipal ordinances that affect natural gas drilling, the same day the agency admitted to miscalculating how much money some municipalities will receive from the booming drilling industry.

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