Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Jan 25, 2013

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

Maryland

Supporters fear Maryland may miss the boat on fracking
Business Journal
Supporters of hydraulic fracturing are hoping that Gov. Martin O’Malley ‘s decision to include money in his fiscal 2014 budget for a study of the environmental impact of the controversial process will hasten its arrival in Maryland.

New York

Utica official proposal to ban the use of brine from hydrofracking fluids
CNYhomepage.com
Utica Common Council Member, Frank Vescera wants to prohibit the use of brine from hydrofracking fluids to treat city roads.

Ohio

Frackfree America to Rally as Reps Urge LNG Exports
Youngstown Business Journal
A Youngstown State University geology instructor is calling on city residents to turn out Saturday for a rally and seeking support for a petition urging local control over oil and gas drilling, even as two area congressman call for stepping up exports of liquified natural gas (LNG).

Ohio hits 500 Utica shale permits with 212 wells drilled
Ohio.com
Ohio has 500 permitted Utica shale wells, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management.

Countdown: Shale boom counties enjoy sales tax bounty
Business Journal
Cash registers are ringing in Utica shale play country, contributing to double-digit increases in sales tax revenue in the seven counties in eastern Ohio that top the state in the number of Utica shale drilling permits, according to a new analysis.

Frack sand silos
Salem News
This frack sand terminal about a mile south of Minerva on Arbor Road in Carroll County is planned to be a high capacity operation, according to the website Pop ‘N Rail.

Pennsylvania

“The Final Ploy of the Desperate” Natural Gas Opponents [MUST WATCH Video!]
Energy in Depth – NMI
Sometimes the other side in the natural gas debate makes the best case for our side. If you are looking for an example, check out our Sautnergate story from last summer. There is a new example from northeast PA’s recent “celebrity” visit. In this example, local activist Vera Scroggins (who always asks for respectful debate) shows us exactly what she means by that term.

STEM’s influence growing here
O-R Online
In Western Pennsylvania, the growth of the energy industry, particularly the exploration for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale…means that the majority of available jobs from laborer up to the top positions now require knowledge of STEM components.

White Introduces Bill Forcing DEP to Disclose Test Data to Landowners, Leaseholders
Patch.com
State Rep. Jesse White introduced legislation this week that would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to disclose the full and complete testing results-including raw data and documentation-of any environmental tests conducted by the department on a landowner’s or leaseholder’s property in Pennsylvania.

National

FrackNation, an Absolute Must See For Natural Gas Supporters
Energy in Depth – NMI
FrackNation premiered on TV last night.  Many watched from home and others got together with friends and family and watched it together. The natural gas debate has brought supporters closer than ever, in fact. We encourage everyone to watch the movie and offer our reviews in hopes you’ll do so.

Dow Chemical Disavows Texas LNG Export Project It Co-Owns
Bloomberg
Dow Chemical Co., the largest U.S. chemical maker by revenue, said it won’t invest in a proposed $6.5 billion natural gas export project at a Texas terminal it partly owns.