Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Feb 21, 2013
The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
Maryland
Garrett dissolves fracking advisory group
Cumberland Times-News
Garrett County commissioners have decided to discontinue meetings of the Garrett County Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Advisory Committee until the state completes its work.
New York
Residents File Petition Against Office of Energy
Fox 40 WICZ
Since its creation, the Office of Energy Development has been under fire by those opposed to hydrofracking. Those opposed to the office say it’s a cover to promote fracking in Broome County despite county officials repeatedly saying otherwise.
Dr. Sandra Steingraber on the Current State of Hydrofracking in NY
Skaneateles Lake Watershed and Hydrofracking
New Yorkers Against Fracking believes that the decision to let the propose regulations expire and extend the health review process–as described in Commissioner Shah’s missive on Tuesday–is a good thing and the direct result of all our collective efforts.
As New York delays decision on fracking, Pennsylvania sees economic boom
Fox News
John Payne puts on his best smile as he greets customers at Bob’s Diner in Bainbridge, N.Y. Most of his regulars are retired. The younger residents, he says, have long since moved away to find jobs in places like the Carolinas.
Another Circus on the Natural Gas Circuit
Energy in Depth – NMI
The Town of Covert in Seneca County, NY has already passed a resolution saying they will not make any decisions on natural gas development until the DEC releases the SGEIS, but a small group keeps pressing the issue. This past week’s town meeting was no exception.
Ohio
Youngstown council will approve a fracking charter amendment
Vindicator
Even though some of its members don’t agree with a citizen-organized charter-amendment proposal to ban fracking in Youngstown and the law director contends it isn’t enforceable, city council is expected today to approve an ordinance to place the initiative on the May 7 ballot.
Ohio Looks to Increase Penalities for Illegal Dumping of Fracking Waste
Streetsboro Gateway News
State lawmakers plan to introduce legislation to increase criminal penalties against individuals and companies that illegally dump oilfield waste.
Taxes Can Help; This One Doesn’t
Wall Street Journal
Your editorial “A Buckeye Tax Reform” suggests that increasing the severance tax on oil and gas production in Ohio’s Utica Shale to help fund an income-tax reduction makes sense.
Who’s recycling wastewater from ‘fracking’?
The Columbus Dispatch
More and more, oil and gas drilling companies are turning to businesses that recycle the millions of gallons of fresh water needed to break up shale during the “fracking” process.
Ohio State Student Sees Future in Shale
Energy in Depth – Ohio
My name is Pat Moore and I am a senior civil engineering student and co-founding Vice President of the Buckeye Shale Energy Organization (BSEO) at The Ohio State University. I am from the Cleveland suburb of Chagrin Falls, but my extended family resides in the Youngstown area.
Banks Bullish On Utica
Energy in Depth – Ohio
Banks are becoming the newest industry forecasting the significant, positive impact that Utica Shale/Point Pleasant development has had – and will continue to have- in Ohio.
Pennsylvania
Silence is Golden When You Can’t Think of a Good Answer (by Rep. Jesse White)
Patch.com
This week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic Policy Committee hosted a hearing in Washington County to examine the DEP’s accountability standards regarding environmental testing following natural gas drilling.
DEP owes complete disclosure to citizens
O-R Online
The folks at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection don’t like state Rep. Jesse White. We get it. White has been a frequent critic of the agency, particularly as it pertains to the DEP’s regulation, or lack thereof, of the Marcellus Shale gas-drilling industry.
Mixed Feelings on Jesse White’s Water Testing Hearing
Energy in Depth – NMI
Mike Knapp attended the House Democratic Committee hearing on natural gas and DEP, hosted by Rep. Jesse White and Rep. Mike Sturla yesterday in Washington County, PA. According to Knapp, the meeting was all about politics when it should have been more about policy, lacking experts, relevance or science in general in the testimonies given.
Gas pipeline project that would go through Berks quiet; critics not so
Reading Eagle/Reading Times
After a flurry of work in November, there has been almost no activity from a company proposing to build a large natural gas pipeline through Berks County.
West Virginia
Driving experience similar for natural gas, gasoline vehicles
The State Journal
It looks like just about any other black Chevy Tahoe in Charleston; however, it’s one of the few vehicles in town running on fuel that comes from West Virginia.
National
Ex-Romney Aide Joins MIT Physicist on Obama Short List
Bloomberg
President Barack Obama is close to choosing two veteran Washington policymakers for top energy roles in his Cabinet who would continue many policies on clean energy and air-pollution curbs, according to people familiar with the decisions.
Natural Gas Efficiency: Condensing the Value
Energy in Depth – NMI
Natural gas efficiency is a win for both consumers and the environment. Waste heat exhaust can be used productively with flue recovery systems that capture heat and water for reuse in productive and profitable ways that also reduce CO2.