PA DEP Sec. John Quigley Resigns Over Email Collusion Scandal
Last Friday the Pennsylvania Secretary of the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), John Quigley, abruptly resigned. It was sudden and unexpected and came a few hours after Gov. Wolf’s administration announced it has launched an investigation into an email sent by Quigley using a private email account (same m.o. as Hillary) to several radically left environmental groups. He used a back channel to communicate with the groups, to avoid detection and future Freedom of Information Law requests. News reports say the email, which was sent in April, urged the enviro groups to mobilize and press for action to support the onerous so-called greenhouse gas regulations Quigley is trying adopt. Shortly after receiving the email, those groups, including Quigley’s former employer–the radical PennEnvironment–flew into action and began advertisements that support Quigley’s unpopular regulations. The ads targeted Democrats who are opposing the regulations. In other words, John Quigley colluded with PennEnvironment and other radical enviro groups. Whether the collusion was illegal or just unethical will be up to investigators (and perhaps prosecutors and the courts) to decide. It’s very good news–for drillers, landowners and all PA residents–that Quigley is now gone…
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In June 2015 then-Secretary of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), John Quigley, slapped Range Resources with an $8.9 million fine–the largest such fine ever levied by the DEP (see 
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Events related to drilling in the Marcellus and Utica Shale, primarily pro-drilling.
The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: NY comptroller continues to bully NY companies re energy choices; FERC opts for EA on Texas Eastern projects in northeast; Utica natgas production up 53% in one year; Lordstown natgas-fired electric plant getting lots of attention; world’s largest solar plant torches itself; 5 graphics to cheer you up; and more!