Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Feb 25, 2013

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

New York

Fracking divides association that unites towns
Times Herald-Record
Fracking not only creates friction within our towns, but it’s also fractured the group that represents those towns. The latest flash point is just how much power those towns have to ban the natural gas extraction method of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

New York Still Biting The Hand That Heats
Energy in Depth – NMI
A petition circulating in Rockland County, New York shows downstate New Yorkers lack an understanding of  where their heat comes from and appear to just be biting at the hand that heats.  A majority of Rockland County is heated by natural gas.

Dear Governor Cuomo – There Is Danger in Delay!
Energy in Depth – NMI
New York State landowners are, to quote a popular movie line, “mad as hell and not taking it anymore.” Here is the first of many letters we hope to offer as examples of the deep frustration felt in the Southern Tier.

The Vestal Natural Gas Coalition Strives For Success!
Energy in Depth – NMI
This past week was very busy for the Vestal Gas Coalition as the organization brought in a great group of speakers to discuss natural gas development and take definitive action to move it forward in New York State, hoping to motivate an indecisive Governor Cuomo.

Ohio

Oil industry in Guernsey County, Ohio, arrives shortly after its first settlers
Daily-Jeff.com
Many years ago in this neck of the woods, crude oil wasn’t thought of as “black gold” and folks weren’t anxiously awaiting the money spigot to turn on, as they are today.

Adult Center for Education focuses on career development
Daily-Jeff.com
One of the newest programs offered by the Adult Center is Heavy Equipment Operator. With the growth in the shale oil and gas industry and regional infrastructure projects, demand for equipment operators and CDL Class A truck drivers will be very high.

Recorder works on backlog
Salem News
The new Columbiana County recorder has brought back a laid-off worker and added another employee to help process a growing backlog of oil and gas leases dating back to last summer.

Pennsylvania

DEP Rolls Out CNG Vehicle Grant Program
Energy in Depth – NMI
DEP has rolled out a grant program to help companies convert their fleets to natural gas fueled vehicles. This program will put more CNG vehicles on the road, reducing emissions and making things much more affordable at the pump. The program is currently open for applications.

West Virginia

Marcellus jobs: Who’s working in the Mountain State?
Charleston Gazette
It’s still not clear how many of the jobs created by the natural gas drilling frenzy have gone to West Virginians — or how large a share of those positions are being filled by out-of-state workers.

Businesses express interest in property
The Review
Officials with the Business Development Corporation (BDC) of the Northern Panhandle, the chief economic development authority for Hancock and Brooke counties, have been working with three prospects from the oil and gas industry that are interested in the Chester site.

National

Energy Nominee Moniz Sees Fracking as Bridge to Renewables
Bloomberg
The likely nomination of nuclear physicist Ernest Moniz to lead the Department of Energy has drawn criticism from some environmentalists who say his support for natural gas and close ties to industry would undermine efforts to tackle climate change.

Just the Fracks, Ma’am
RedState
Natural gas is a cheap, abundant American resource, and cleaner than all of its viable alternatives to boot.

Groups flock to White House to talk ‘fracking’ rules
The Hill
Environmental advocates and representatives from the oil-and-gas industry are flocking to the White House following the submission of a draft rule that would govern the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing on public lands.