Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Feb 15, 2013

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

New York & New Jersey

Southern Tier Treatment as Sacrifice Zone Leads to Secession Petition
Energy in Depth – NMI
Frustrations over the delay on natural gas development in New York have reached a new high recently with some upstate residents in the “sacrifice zone” signing a petition to secede from the state and become a part of Pennsylvania.

Fracking in New York? Not for another year, if ever
Reuters
The fracking debate in New York state is hitting new heights as regulators delay a final decision on the controversial natural gas production method, but it looks increasingly clear that it will be a year – if ever – before drilling begins again.

Opposite views over NY’s latest delay on gas drilling
Business Journal
Since the state health commissioner needs more time to study possible health impacts of Marcellus Shale gas drilling in New York, long-awaited regulations for doing so will be further delayed.

Hydrofracking protest in Syracuse
YNN
The scenes have become familiar across New York State. Activists demanding that the state block any use of the controversial hydrofracking system for extracting natural gas from deep deposits of shale.

Constitution Pipeline Study Shows Benefits to All Areas
Energy in Depth – NMI
We have covered the Constitution Pipeline project in various stages.  The proposed pipeline will be 122 miles long and will help deliver natural gas to two major markets who use natural gas in abundance, New York City and Boston.

Pipeline stay denied; trees can be cleared
New Jersey Herald
A federal appeals court has denied a township resident’s request for an emergency stay of the approval that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted last May to the final phase of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.’s Northeast Upgrade Project.

Ohio

Marcellus and Utica shale: Carroll and Noble counties lead Ohio for permits issued in Jan.
Farm and Dairy
If the number of shale permits issued during January are any indication, it will be a busy spring, full of drilling. There were a total of 37 new shale well permits issued during January in Ohio.

Activists Blast Water Sale at Commissioners Hearing
Youngtown Business Journal
Mahoning County commissioners got an earful Thursday from two environmental activists, one of whom criticized both local officials and residents of “willful ignorance.”

United Airlines begins inaugural nonstop flight from Oklahoma City to Cleveland
NewsOK.com
Will Rogers World Airport officials on Thursday celebrated United Airlines’ first nonstop from Oklahoma City to Cleveland. The new service supports the growing energy sector between Oklahoma City and northwest Ohio, where part of the Utica Shale is located.

Trades Protest Use of Outside Labor for Pipeline Project
Youngstown Business Journal
About 100 members of the building trades unions braved the cold and lined state Route 39 Thursday in an effort to lobby out-of-state companies engaged in oil and gas midstream development to hire local workers for new pipeline construction jobs.

Unions: ‘Fracking’ jobs aren’t local
WKYC-TV Cleveland
Ohio workers say energy companies promised jobs as they moved into Columbiana County and other parts of Eastern Ohio to develop the Utica Shale’s oil and natural gas reserves.

Will shale boom change lifestyle of the Amish?
Athens Banner-Herald
Late last year, representatives from one of the world’s largest energy companies came to the home of Lydia and Sam Mast.

Economists Note Youngstown’s Improved Economy Due to Shale
Energy in Depth – Ohio
Economists throughout Ohio are discussing how the Youngstown area is benefitting from a stronger economy than the rest of the state, greatly due to Utica Shale development.

Pennsylvania

DEP Spokeswoman Blasted Celebrated for Comments About Marcellus Shale-Related Hearing
Patch.com
The chairman of the state’s Democratic Policy committee on Thursday struck back against a state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman who told a newspaper that Secretary Michael Krancer would not participate in a local meeting, likening it to “political theater.”

Marcellus Shale gas boom expected to slow in 2013
Pocono Record
Energy experts say the boom in Marcellus Shale natural gas production will slow this year but not because there’s any lack of supply.

Legislation targets natural gas pipeline projects
Daily Local
State Sen. Andy Dinniman has introduced three bills to protect natural resources and residents’ properties against harm from the area’s growing number of natural gas pipeline projects.

National

Federal Pipeline Safety Agency to Revise Annual Gas Distribution Report
ShaleEnergyLawBlog
On February 13, 2013, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register proposing to revise its annual report for gas distribution systems.

Staying Ahead of the Regulatory Curve in the Fracking Industry
Environmental Leader
Like it or not, studies indicate that fracking operations will continue and grow within the regions of the United States that boast large shale formations.