Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY Appeals Article 78 Case to Higher NY Court
July 29, 2014July 29, 2014

Yesterday the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) along with several individual landowners filed an appeal in their Article 78 lawsuit that was dismissed by a lower court in Albany County, NY earlier this month. You may recall that the JLCNY sued NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Dept. of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, and state Health Dept. Commissioner Nirav Shah over their refusal to deliver fracking regulations (see D-Day: JLCNY Files Lawsuit Today Against Cuomo, Martens, Shah). Albany County Supreme Court, a lower level court in New York, said the JLCNY and others who filed the lawsuit had no “standing” to bring the suit (see (see NY Pro-Drillers Lose 2nd Important Shale Drilling Court Case). Not true, according to JLCNY president Dan Fitzsimmons…
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eCORP Stimulation Technologies | Energy Services | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

ecorpStim Says New Manufacturing Process Lowers Non-Water Frack Cost
July 28, 2014July 28, 2014

Every now and again eCORP Stimulation Technologies, or “ecorpStim” as they are known, pokes its head up to say, “Hey, we’re still here and we still have a great non-water-based fracking solution!” To which we always say, “Great!” However, non-water-based solutions have a common problem: they’re really expensive. ecorpStim’s technology uses non-flammable liquefied propane as the fluid for fracking. It has the benefit of turning back into a gas and coming back out of the hole–captured and sold at a profit (or captured and re-used). ecorpStim poked their head up again today with their latest press release to say they’ve figured out how to lower the cost of their technology…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Regulation

Fracking Policy Monitor – 2nd Issue
July 28, 2014July 28, 2014

A few weeks ago the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) released their second quarterly issue of what they call the Fracking Policy Monitor. IPAA in partnership with PIRA Energy Group author this quarterly pub that provides analysis and information on the latest legislative, regulatory and litigation developments on hydraulic fracturing. According to the IPAA, it showcases some of the battles being fought by the industry (and why and how your dollars go to good use in supporting the IPAA). Here’s the latest rundown on what’s happening, including an excellent summary for both Pennsylvania and New York…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Cuyahoga County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation

OH City Ban on Drilling Heads to Court – Implications for Utica?
July 25, 2014July 25, 2014

Last week two Ohio drillers filed a lawsuit against Broadview Heights, OH, a suburb of Cleveland, for the city’s recently passed ban on drilling oil and gas wells. According to the lawsuit, only the state (via the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources) has the sole legal right to allow or deny a given oil/gas well from being drilled. That is, this is yet another so-called “home rule” court case. This particular case is interesting on a lot of levels. Number one, contrary to the understanding of those commenting on a story about the case in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the oil and gas wells that have been drilled and those that may be drilled in the future in Broadview Heights–are not fracked shale wells. They are conventional shallow wells. Even so, the case could have implications for Utica (unconventional fracked) drilling…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Where Do Things Stand with NY Fracking? ProPublica “Explainer”
July 24, 2014July 24, 2014

The ProPublica website bills itself as “Journalism in the Public Interest.” Although the editors and writers on ProPublica tilt to the left of the political spectrum, we’ve found over the past year or two that most of the time their articles on fracking are pretty balanced–a surprising (and welcomed) aberration in the world of mainstream media. Such is the case with their latest article, a roundup on where things stand in the state of New York with respect to fracking. The writer (an intern!) does a good job of informing casual readers who may not follow the issue closely of just where things stand at this point. We liked the article and thought you might too…
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Accidents | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Equinor/Statoil | Halliburton | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County (NY) | New York | Regulation

OH Rep Hagan Doesn’t Let A Good Frack Accident Go to Waste
July 24, 2014July 24, 2014

Anti-drilling Ohio State Rep. Robert Hagan (Democrat, Youngstown) sent out a press release yesterday that says, essentially, “Na na na na na, told ya so, told ya so.” In just about that childish tone. Hagan has seized on a report that MDN and others highlighted yesterday from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that alleges Halliburton, following the well pad fire in Monroe County on June 28, took five days to provide a list of chemicals at the site to the EPA (see EPA Reports on Enviro Damage from Statoil Well Fire in OH). What Hagan conveniently leaves out of his childish screed is that Halliburton promptly provided that list to the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources and local firefighters, the two agencies stipulated under Ohio law. The EPA is not stipulated to get a fast copy of the chemicals list–they’re not first responders to the accident. The EPA is there to watch, observe, assess and level hefty fines…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Good Move: PA Budget Cuts DRBC Contribution in Half
July 21, 2014July 21, 2014

In February MDN told you about PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s plan to trim Pennsylvania’s contribution to the Delaware River Basin Commission’s budget (see PA Dems, DRBC Squeal over Proposed Cut to DRBC Budget). The DRBC has been unfairly benefiting from PA residents for years. The other states that are part of the DRBC have cut back on their contributions leaving PA holding the bag. No more. As part of the recently passed state budget, PA has cut DRBC funding–in half…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Court Says 7 Towns Can Keep Marcellus Money & Ban Drilling Too
July 18, 2014July 18, 2014

The seven Pennsylvania townships that sued and ultimately won the right to gut the Act 13 law over zoning regulations (Robinson, Nockamixon, South Fayette, Peters, Cecil, Mount Pleasant, and the Borough of Yardley) don’t want drilling in their townships, but they sure love the money that comes from drilling. In addition to gutting the zoning provisions in the Act 13 law, the towns bridled when the Public Utility Commission (PUC), acting in accordance with the Act 13 law, withheld money from four of the seven towns for their anti-drilling ordinances that violate state oil and gas drilling law. Yesterday the court said the PUC couldn’t do that anymore–further gutting Act 13. However, three other outstanding issues about Act 13 were decided in favor of the drilling industry, including the so-called doctor “gag rule”…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Gov. Cuomo in No Particular Hurry to Decide on Fracking
July 18, 2014July 18, 2014

The man-child who can’t make a decision on fracking–New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo–did a sit-down interview with the editorial board of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle on Wednesday. When asked about fracking, he did what he always does–he made excuses. It seems Gov. Andy is no particular hurry on the issue…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Rex Energy

Martians Demand School Board Ban Fracking Outside its Own Orbit
July 17, 2014July 17, 2014

Turning down $1 million wasn’t enough for the lib anti-drilling parents in Mars (Butler County), PA. They continue to try and deny Rex Energy their lawful right to drill shale wells on non-school property 3/4 of a mile away (see Martians Threaten Lawsuit Against PA Town to Prevent Drilling). Meanwhile, the Elk Lake School District in Susquehanna County, PA has two wells drilled on school campus grounds–with no pollution or harm to the kiddies–and continues to rake in the dough (see Rural NE PA School Nets $1.7M in Royalties from 2 Marcellus Wells). Earth to Mars! Pull your heads out of the sand…
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Norse Energy | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY Says Appeal of Article 78 Lawsuit Decision is “Very Likely”
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

New Yorkers continue to react to the dismissal of a court case brought by the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) and Norse Energy against state officials to force them to release six-year-delayed fracking regulations (see NY Pro-Drillers Lose 2nd Important Shale Drilling Court Case). Below we have reaction from the JLCNY, which says it’s “very likely” to appeal the ruling from the lower NY court in Albany County, along with copies of the court decisions…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

EPA Extends Public Comments for Frack Chemical Disclosure Rule
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

In May MDN told you that the federal EPA is making another power play to regulate fracking via the back door–by potentially requiring drillers to disclose chemicals used in drilling to the EPA, using the federal Toxic Substances Control Act as its excuse (see Rogue Federal EPA Tries New Power Play to Regulate Fracking). In May, the EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) which included a 90-day public comment period. The agency has just extended it another 30 days–to 120 days of public comment…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Fish & Boat Commission Wants $1M for Marcellus Investigators
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission wants its own Marcellus Shale pollution police force and its asking PA lawmakers to cough up $1 million to make it happen. For that $1M the Commission would hire seven people, one chief and six Indians–who would be tasked with investigating suspected cases of pollution related to drilling activities…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

DEP Sec. Abruzzo Says Budget Bill Means Delay in New Drilling Regs
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

On Monday, MDN asked the question and explored the issue of whether or not the recent language slipped into the PA budget bill (that was passed and signed by Gov. Corbett) to separate conventional and unconventional drilling regulations would require the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and their Environmental Quality Board (EQB) to go back to the drawing board with new regulations stipulated by the Act 13 law (see Is PA’s Act 13 Law on Last Legs with Passage of PA Budget?). DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo tackled that issue head-on yesterday…
Read More “DEP Sec. Abruzzo Says Budget Bill Means Delay in New Drilling Regs”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research | Statewide NY

NY Antis Release So-Called Compendium of Fracking Health Risks
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

Apparently anti-drillers in New York State are tired of waiting for the State Dept. of Health (DOH) to release its findings on public healthy implications from proposed new fracking rules from the Dept. of Conservation (now six years overdue). So a group of anti-drillers calling themselves Concerned Health Professionals of New York (mostly it’s New York’s own anti-drilling diva Sandra Steingraber) put a couple of summer interns to good use and compiled a so-called “report” of alllllll the damage done by shale drilling–a compendium of its evil, nasty, vile effects. (Just don’t tell anyone in PA, WV, OH, TX, OK, CO, CA, ND or any other state where shale drilling is heavily done–those residents don’t realize they’ve been damaged)…
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Norse Energy | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Pro-Drillers Lose 2nd Important Shale Drilling Court Case
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

Yet another defeat for shale drilling in anti-drilling New York. First, the most important case that will hamper drilling in the Empire State was lost just a few weeks ago (see Shale Drilling in NY is Over – High Court Upholds Town Bans). Yesterday, a lower court decided to toss out the “Article 78” lawsuit brought by the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York and Norse Energy against Gov. Andy Cuomo, DEC Sec. Joe Martens, and former Dept. of Health Sec. Nirav Shah (see D-Day: JLCNY Files Lawsuit Today Against Cuomo, Martens, Shah). The Article 78 lawsuit would have forced them to finally release new drilling rules as they are obviously colluding to stop the release. Other states take two years or less to review and allow shale drilling (see today’s story about North Carolina). It’s been over six years in New York, and with this decision, there is literally no end in sight…
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