Wednesday, November 14, 2012

PA Marcellus News Digest 11/12/12

PA Marcellus News Digest
November 12, 2012

SPECIAL: Auditor General-elect Eugene DePasquale – Protecting Pennsylvania's Natural Resources -gas drilling issue page: http://www.eugene4pa.com/issues/drilling.html


Articles

Report: Shale Drilling Will Move U.S. To Head Of Global Energy Pack
NPR State Impact
Scott Detrow
Nov 12
Link:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/11/12/report-shale-drilling-will-move-u-s-to-head-of-global-energy-pack/

Testimony clouds DEP water testing
Beaver County Times
Rachel Morgan
Nov 10
Testimony by a high-ranking Department of Environmental Protection employee revealed that the DEP Bureau of Laboratories reran parts of its residential water tests for fracking pollution and, in some cases, the numbers differed substantially.
Link:
http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/testimony-clouds-dep-water-testing/article_10d004dd-d59c-5caa-815d-ad9925285a2a.html

In a shale state, give wind power its respective due
Patriot-News
Editorial
Nov 12
In 2008, Pennsylvania produced about a billion cubic feet of natural gas.
Two years later, nearly 400 billion. Shale gas has revolutionized the commonwealth’s energy industry, but for many its promise is built on a compromise.
Link:
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/11/in_a_shale_state_give_wind_power_its_respective_due.html

DEP Secretary Responds To Calls For Investigation Into Drilling Water Testing Program
PA Environment Digest
Nov 12
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Krancer Tuesday responded directly to charges made by Rep. Jesse White (D-Westmoreland) that DEP did not share full drilling water test results with homeowners.
Secretary Krancer said Rep. White “misapprehended some important facts” involved in the testing program and said his characterization of comments made by a DEP employee in a deposition were  “untrue and inaccurate.”
Link:
http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=23843&SubjectID=

Attorney General-Elect Kane Promises To Use Laws To Protect Natural Resources
PA Environment Digest
Nov 12
Kathleen Kane, a former assistant district attorney for Lackawanna County, was elected Attorney General Tuesday promising to use the state's environmental laws to protect citizens and natural resources.
Link:
http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=23839&SubjectID=

Kane to make consumer advocate pick
Times-Tribune
Robert Swift
Nov 10
HARRISBURG - Attorney General-elect Kathleen Kane will get to name a new state consumer advocate, a key player in determining the outcome of utility regulatory issues.
Link:
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/kane-to-make-consumer-advocate-pick-1.1401351

EPA Seeks Research For Fracking Study
NPR State Impact
Susan Phillips
Nov 9
Link:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/11/09/epa-seeks-research-for-fracking-study/

Feds studying fracking and pollution
Results of preliminary water quality study expected soon.
Morning Call
Kevin Begos, AP
Nov 9
PITTSBURGH — A top official with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is optimistic that a nationwide project examining natural gas hydraulic fracturing and potential drinking water impacts will provide comprehensive guidelines to help scientists and the public identify the key issues to focus on. But the industry said past studies have already shown the process is safe.
Link:
http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-gas-drilling-health-conference-web-20121109,0,3399115.story

Lack of partners holds up EPA study on fracking, water wells
Pitt Trib
Timothy Puko
Nov 9
The Environmental Protection Agency can’t find a partner to help perform a study of shale drilling and drinking water, a year after it said it would take such action, a federal official said Friday in Oakland.
Link:
http://triblive.com/news/2927243-74/agency-paulson-drinking-research-company-drilling-federal-shale-access-added#axzz2BrdvAMBG

Release all lab results on drilling
Times-Tribune
Opinion
Nov 10
Assuring people that their water is safe is a matter not of science alone but of transparency. In that regard, the state Department of Environmental Protection has come up short.
Link:
http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/release-all-lab-results-on-drilling-1.1401283

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