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Trump Signs Executive Order Making it Harder to Block Pipes

President Trump visited Houston, Texas yesterday to sign a pair of Executive Orders to help spur more energy infrastructure development across the country. In particular, the orders were aimed at clearing away roadblocks some states (like New York) put up to try and block new pipelines. Was it a silver bullet that will mean projects like the Constitution Pipeline will now get built? Sadly, no. But it was, according to many in the oil and gas industry, “a step in the right direction.”
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Here Come the “Bomb Trains” – Trump to Allow LNG by Rail

An overlooked aspect of yesterday’s Executive Order signed by President Trump will have an impact on natural gas by altering the way it’s transported. In addition to directing the federal EPA to rework rules that impact pipelines, Trump’s EO issued yesterday also directs the Secretary of Transportation to write a new rule allowing specially constructed tanker cars for railroads to ship LNG (liquefied natural gas). Which has antis fit to be tied, screaming “bomb train!”.
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Chester County, PA Sues ME2 Pipe, Seeks to Block Construction

The sleazy elected commissioners of Chester County have just sued Sunoco Logistics Partners to try and stop construction of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline on two county-owned properties where the pipeline has a legitimate, legal right to build. One of the commissioners actually uses these lawsuits as fundraisers (see Chester County Commissioner Uses Pipeline Lawsuit as Fundraiser). Yeah, that’s sleazy.
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Locals Push Back Against Frack Chemical Facility Near Williamsport

Coastal Chemical, the North American subsidiary of German company Brenntag, sells chemicals (used in fracking) to the oil and gas industry. Coastal Chemical wants to build a chemical storage facility in Montgomery (Lycoming County), PA, near Williamsport. The facility would house ten tanks, each holding 12,000 gallons of chemicals. The local volunteer fire chief and the local emergency management coordinator are both “strongly opposed” to the project.
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National Grid Faces Opposition to Tiny Pipeline in Albany Region

The bright red line indicates the pipeline’s proposed route (click for larger version)

On February 1, 2019, National Grid filed a petition with the New York Public Service Commission for a “Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need” (i.e. permission to build and operate) for a tiny 16-inch, 7.3-mile natural gas transmission pipeline. The purpose of the new pipeline is to beef up supplies of natural gas in the Capitol region of the state–around Albany. A public hearing was held yesterday in East Greenbush, NY and of course a group of antis who irrationally hate fossil fuels showed up to embarrass themselves.
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Enviros Don’t Like Gov. Wolf’s Onerous New Air Regs Either

regulations

In December, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) released a draft of onerous new regulations that focus on reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and so-called fugitive methane. The new regs will force drillers and pipeline companies to spend big bucks to produce a teeny tiny improvement in emissions. The DEP followed up with a revised version just a few weeks ago (see PA DEP Releases Onerous New Air Regulations, Again).
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Prominent Environmentalist Tells Cuomo: You’re Wrong on NatGas

Norris McDonald

We spotted an op-ed in the left-leaning New York Daily News that surprised and shocked us. Norris McDonald, founder and president of the African American Environmentalist Association, wrote an article as an environmentalist that tells New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that he’s wrong about pipelines and the continued use, even expanded use, of natural gas. This prominent environmentalist says, “…natural gas remains an important part of the climate change solution.”
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Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Apr 11, 2019

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Pennsylvania as the new natural gas giant; Gas, nuclear lobbies butt heads as Senate takes up nuclear-rescue bill; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: The increasing importance of natural gas in Michigan; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas-fired combined-cycle capacity surpasses coal-fired capacity; Shale gas majors succumb to Wall Street pressure.
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