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EQB Votes to Approve Gov. Wolf’s $2.4B Carbon Tax on PA Residents

As we told you on Monday, the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB), a powerful committee operating under the larger umbrella of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), held a hearing and cast a vote yesterday on whether or not PA should join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a tax on carbon for power generators (see Exclusive: PA EQB Board Member Speaks Out Against RGGI Carbon Tax). As we predicted on Monday, EQB, which is packed with political appointees by PA Gov. Tom Wolf, voted in favor of their boss’s plan. It would have been career suicide to vote against it.
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U.S. NatGas Exports via LNG, Pipelines Takes a Nosedive

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the U.S. came from literally zero in early 2016 to a total theoretical capacity today of 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The first three months of this year saw U.S. LNG exports average 7.9 Bcf/d–almost full capacity! Since then, our LNG exports have gone over a metaphorical cliff. In June, U.S. LNG exports averaged 3.6 Bcf/d. The turning point came in April.
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Big Green Still Trying to Kill 92% Done Mountain Valley Pipeline

Emboldened by Dominion Energy’s decision to abandon its 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) from West Virginia to North Carolina, anti-fossil fuel zealots are trying to force Equitrans Midstream to abandon its 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) from West Virginia to Virginia. But there’s a big difference between the two: While ACP had less than 50 miles built, MVP is now 92% done and in the ground, with just a little bit left to go. Even so, it’s not stopping a small group of antis, including the well-funded Sierra Club, from attempting to kill MVP.
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Weekly Shale Drilling Permits for PA, OH, WV: Sep 7-11

For the third week in a row, both Pennsylvania and West Virginia issued permits to drill new shale wells last week, and Ohio did not. What’s up with Ohio? PA issued 13 new permits for wells on five well pads. WV issued 2 new permits on two different pads. PA’s new permits skewed toward the southwestern part of the state with 11 of the 13 permits issued (two in Bradford County in the northeast). The WV permits were both issued in Marshall County, located in the northern panhandle of the state.
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Online Service for Buyers & Sellers of Mineral Rights Expands

Last October MDN told you about RealX, the country’s first and largest online property rights exchange (see New Online Service for Buyers & Sellers of Mineral Rights). RealX is for both landowners and drillers who want to buy/sell/swap mineral rights for drilling (or rights to allow solar, wind, even cell towers). RealX has been called the Zillow of mineral rights. RealX has just inked a deal with a large group of real estate agents, expanding the platform’s offering.
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Why is the Oil & Gas Sector Not Bouncing Back More Quickly?

Have you caught yourself thinking lately (as we have), “When in the world is the price of natural gas (and oil) going to go up again?” And, “Why is more drilling not happening?” Perhaps you answer yourself with the obvious answer: It’s the pandemic, stupid. If you have said/thought that, you are correct. But what is there about the pandemic (which seems to be getting better) that is causing this ongoing slowdown and low prices for oil and gas?
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