Hydraulic Fracturing

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17 State Chambers of Commerce to EPA: States Regulate Fracking
October 9, 2013October 9, 2013

On Sept. 20, 17 state Chambers of Commerce sent a joint letter to President Obama’s new EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy. They opened the letter (full copy below) with a nice greeting and a congratulations on her recent confirmation as administrator, and then immediately launched into a statement (not really a request) that tells her to, in so many words, keep her mitts off fracking. That is, leave the regulation of fracking where it properly and Constitutionally belongs–with the individual states.

The federal government does not have a Constitutional role in regulating fracking and the Chambers of Commerce, representing 34% of all states and from the biggest oil and gas producing states in the Union–want to keep it that way. Not surprisingly, among the signatories are the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia Chambers of Commerce…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Former Sec. Krancer: Frack Moratorium “Worse than Misguided”
October 8, 2013October 8, 2013

MDN editor Jim Willis had the great pleasure of meeting and speaking with former PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) Sec. Michael Krancer at Shale Insight 2013 a few weeks ago. Jim doesn’t mind telling you what he told Sec. Krancer to his face: “I’m a huge fan!” Krancer did some great work at the DEP during his too-short tenure. Since then, Krancer has moved on to private practice in Philadelphia, working on energy law for powerhouse law firm Blank Rome.

Sec. Krancer minces no words, which is what we love about him. He’s also extremely smart. And, he’s no fan of recently introduced legislation by PA Sen. Jim Ferlo who wants to ban fracking in Pennsylvania–Ferlo calls it a moratorium but it’s “open-ended,” meaning it’s really a ban (see PA Dems Go Over the Cliff – Introduce Statewide Frack Ban Bill). Krancer penned a devastating rebuttal to Ferlo’s bill and indeed to obtuse anti-fossil fuel advocates throughout Pennsylvania. Sec. Krancer sent along a copy of his sterling piece, first published on the Law360 website, with permission for MDN to distribute it far and wide. Forthwith, from the sharp pen of Sec. Krancer…
Read More “PA Former Sec. Krancer: Frack Moratorium “Worse than Misguided””
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Sullivan County

Debra Winger: Vote Early & Vote Often – Against Fracking in NY
October 8, 2013October 8, 2013

Hollywood actress Debra Winger, who not only has an apartment in New York City but owns a “farm” in Sullivan County, NY (Upstate for the uninitiated), is on a mission. Her mission is to get her other Hollywood and Downstate pals that also own a place in Sullivan County to register to vote there. Register once? Register twice? We’re not sure she’s advocating voter fraud (although she may be).

Winger wants Downstaters to register to vote in Sullivan County so they can pack local town boards with anti-drillers–just in case Gov. Andrew “Spineless” Cuomo suddenly grows a spine and allows shale drilling…
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Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

U.S. Passes Saudis (Oil) & Russia (NatGas) to Become #1 Worldwide
October 7, 2013

None other than the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report on Friday that says the United States will pass Saudi Arabia to become the #1 oil producing country in the world, and will pass Russia to be the #1 natural gas producing country in the world–THIS YEAR. How? Why? Shale energy, of course. No wonder the Saudi’s are worried (see Top Saudi investor says US energy boom could doom kingdom’s economy) and even the braggadocio Vladimir Putin is showing signs of concern (see Worried by shale gas, Putin calls for new energy strategy).

This is really big news folks…
Read More “U.S. Passes Saudis (Oil) & Russia (NatGas) to Become #1 Worldwide”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Frack Ban Cases Make (Glacial) Progress, Some Dates to Share
October 7, 2013

In August MDN told you that New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, would hear the twin cases of Dryden and Middlefield (see BREAKING: NY Court of Appeals will Hear Dryden/Middlefield Case). There are two things that keep shale drilling away from New York right now: (1) Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s spineless inability to take a stand and do the right thing to allow it, and (2) the Dryden/Middlefield cases. MDN believes the court cases are the more important of the two. Cuomo will come around sooner or later–he has to. However, if the court says a majority vote from a local town board can ban fracking thereby denying property rights for landowners throughout an entire township–that’s the death knell for drilling in New York. No sizable driller will gamble with hundreds of millions in lease money to see a local town simply vote to shut it all down. Too risky. (For our analysis of the New York situation, see the post: Anti-Drillers Attempt a Brave Face with NY Appeals Court Decision.)

So the Dryden/Middlefield cases are of supreme importance in the fight for property rights and to allow drilling for New York’s landowners. What’s the latest in those all-important cases? They’re moving along at the speed of a glacier–but at least we now have some dates to share…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Susquehanna County

Gasland II Starlet Leaves Anti-Drilling Behind, Adopts “Realism”
October 7, 2013October 7, 2013

What’s this…one of the stars of Gasland II, someone who trash-talked the shale drilling industry in Dimock, PA has changed sides? Yep. Well, sort of. Victoria Switzer has given up what she calls “tunnel vision” and has adopted “realism.” She says, “Realism is good.” She no longer calls for a halt to drilling in PA and instead wants to ensure it’s done safely–by working with industry and regulators. Welcome to logic and sanity! Glad to have you on our side.

Watch out Josh Fox: Switzer is not the only former anti-driller now whistling a different tune…
Read More “Gasland II Starlet Leaves Anti-Drilling Behind, Adopts “Realism””
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

MA Dems Propose Frack Ban on Non-Existent Shale Drilling – Duh!
October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

Anti-drilling nutters in Massachusetts have introduced legislation to ban fracking in the state, even though there’s no frackable shale to be found. Why do it? To make a political statement, of course. Symbolism over substance reigns supreme in the Bay State controlled by you-know-which political party.

So, you might expect the following editorial that strongly criticizes said politicians for proposing a frack ban bill, and criticizing the state for supporting alternative energy sources only (sources that require huge infusions of taxpayer money to make them work), to be an editorial penned by MDN. Or perhaps from a Tea Party organization. But, you would be wrong. The strongly-worded editorial below is from none other than the editors of the Boston Herald…
Read More “MA Dems Propose Frack Ban on Non-Existent Shale Drilling – Duh!”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Indiana County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA | Wastewater

What’s Missing in Latest Duke “Radioactive” Study? Real Science
October 3, 2013

Those crazy, anti-drilling kids at Duke University are at it again. They released a “study” in a “peer-reviewed” journal yesterday (a study funded in part by the anti-drilling Park Foundation) that took samples from a creek downstream from a wastewater treatment plant that used to (but no longer does) treat Marcellus fracking wastewater. Republican Michael Krancer put an end to frack wastewater treatment by such facilities in early 2011, something the Rendell administration couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Krancer and the Marcellus Shale Coalition said municipal plants processing frack wastewater was creating an issue (see PA DEP, Marcellus Shale Coalition Admit Drilling Wastewater Likely Contaminating Drinking Water). So the Park/Duke kids sampled a single creek before the practice had ended and found, not surprisingly, high (but not dangerous) levels of radioactivity in the stream bed. In other words, they’re reporting what we’ve known for the past three years.

What do the headlines in hundreds of newspapers and online sources (with lazy reporters) blare out today? Fracking causes radioactivity in streams and rivers (plural) in Pennsylvania. Even though the Duke study only looks at a single location in a single creek and the data predates when the practice ended. Real science would have investigated multiple wastewater treatment plants, not just cherry-picking one. Real science is not funded by an avowed anti-drilling organization like the Park Foundation. And real science would have pointed out frack wastewater treatment at these plants ended several years ago. But then, no one ever accused Park/Duke kids of performing real science…
Read More “What’s Missing in Latest Duke “Radioactive” Study? Real Science”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

Muskingum Watershed Taken to Court by Anti-Frackers (Yawn)
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

MDN has long chronicled the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s (MWCD) challenges with selling a relative thimble-full of its vast water supplies to Utica Shale drillers. Not only are they now selling water, they’ve leased a good number of acres for drilling–some of it under lakes and reservoirs. That really ticks off the eco-nuts.

Anti-frackers have thrown tantrums and have done their darnedest to stop the MWCD from allowing drilling and from selling water to frackers–for a time they even bullied them into a retreat (see Muskingum Watershed Reverses Decision to Sell Water to Drillers)–but ultimately the anti-frackers have failed. So now it’s off to court to see if they can convince a liberal judge somewhere to put the breaks on progress in Ohio…
Read More “Muskingum Watershed Taken to Court by Anti-Frackers (Yawn)”
Chesapeake Energy | Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Regulation

Salem, OH Votes Down Ordinance to Restrict Drilling in City
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

In July 2012, the city of Salem, OH signed a lease with Chesapeake Energy to allow drilling on 381 acres of city-owned land (land outside city limits). Terms of the lease: $7,000 signing bonus and 20% royalties (see Salem, OH to Sign Lease Deal with Chesapeake for $7K+20%). It probably wouldn’t send the right signal to turn around and pass a law that would prevent drilling inside city limits after signing a lease and accepting millions of dollars. Yet, such a law was under serious consideration by Salem City Council.

Tuesday night, City Council wisely chose to vote down a proposed zoning amendment that would have prevented drilling inside city limits…
Read More “Salem, OH Votes Down Ordinance to Restrict Drilling in City”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

OH Antis Force Change in Chemical Reporting, Everyone Less Safe
September 30, 2013September 30, 2013

Ohio’s anti-drillers, in their zeal to needle the drilling industry, have just put everyone who lives near active drill sites at more risk than they once were. Following state law, drillers (until now) have filed a list of the chemicals they store and use for fracking with the Ohio Department of Environmental Resources (ODNR). Local first responders–police and firefighters–could then electronically retrieve that information from the ODNR website for any given well if an incident occurred, like a fire. But anti-drillers asked the federal government to intervene and that has now happened. The feds have said drillers must file paperwork listing the chemicals stored and used directly with local counties and municipalities.

Now, firefighters will have to haul out a paper file from some filing cabinet and rifle through it if there’s any kind of emergency–instead of using the much faster online version from ODNR. Congratulations Ohio anti-drillers! You’ve just made everyone in Ohio more unsafe…
Read More “OH Antis Force Change in Chemical Reporting, Everyone Less Safe”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County | Wastewater

Mt Pleasant Tells Range Resources “No Deal” on Water Impoundments
September 30, 2013September 30, 2013

An update of the ongoing kerfuffle between Range Resources and their four water impoundments (i.e. ponds) and Mt. Pleasant Township officials in Washington County, PA (for background, see Range Water Impoundment Public Hearing Postponed 2nd Time). Mt. Pleasant recently served Range with zoning violation notices for the four impoundments–they want them all closed. Range recently proposed a compromise that would allow them to keep three of the four impoundments open.

The town board of supervisors met and discussed Range’s proposal during a rare Saturday session–and said “no thanks” to the proposal…
Read More “Mt Pleasant Tells Range Resources “No Deal” on Water Impoundments”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP’s O&G Division Gets High Marks from Independent Review
September 30, 2013September 30, 2013

An independent, third-party peer review organization–State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc.–has given the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Oil and Gas Management a very close examination. What did they find? They found it to be “proficient” and “ready to address the increase in oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania.” The review gave the DEP high marks for the actions they’ve taken (and new regulations instituted) over the past two years under Gov. Tom Corbett.

DEP Acting Sec. Chris Abruzzo said this independent review proves that PA’s world class shale drilling is matched by world class oil and gas management and regulations…
Read More “PA DEP’s O&G Division Gets High Marks from Independent Review”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | XTO

Exclusive: MDN Interviews PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo
September 27, 2013September 27, 2013

MDN became aware that newly nominated (and currently Acting) Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, Chris Abruzzo, would be attending Shale Insight 2013. So we requested an interview with the Secretary, and he obliged! To our knowledge, we were the only media interview he granted during a brief walking around the show visit on Wednesday.

MDN editor Jim Willis asked Sec. Abruzzo some tough questions, including his take on the PA Attorney General’s criminal lawsuit against XTO (see PA AG Abuses Her Authority, Files Criminal Charges Against XTO); his biggest challenge since holding the office in April; how he responds to the charge that the DEP is sometimes too cozy with the drilling industry; an update on the DEP’s study of air quality near drilling sites and compressor stations (see DEP Marcellus Air Study in SW PA Extended Extra Half Year); and his response to John Hanger (former Secretary of the DEP) about his remarks that Abruzzo’s appointment was “bizarre and irresponsible”…
Read More “Exclusive: MDN Interviews PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo”
Butler County | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Rex Energy

Rex Energy Water Contamination Case Shifts Focus to Water Pipeline
September 27, 2013September 27, 2013

An update on the lingering/ongoing story of a community in western Pennyslvania (in Butler County) who say that nearby drilling by Rex Energy led to contamination of their well water supplies. The last MDN update on this story was in August of last year (see PA Residents Weary of Fight with Rex over Water Contamination). Some families have retained legal help and either have, or intend, to sue Rex. The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, after an extensive investigation, said that Rex’s drilling is not at fault in the situation.

However, for most of the families, the issue has now progressed beyond blame–apparently water quality in the area was never the greatest to begin with. Rex had built a water line in the area to supply water for fracking and expects to turn over control/ownership of that line later this year. That water line can potentially be used to supply fresh water to the affected homes. The debate now: Who will pay to hook up the homes and to maintain the pipes and infrastructure required?
Read More “Rex Energy Water Contamination Case Shifts Focus to Water Pipeline”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Soil | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Pittsburgh Water-Testing Lab’s Certification Pulled, $60K Fine
September 27, 2013September 27, 2013

We don’t know if any Marcellus drillers in Pennsylvania were previously using Pittsburgh-based Microbac Laboratories to test water or soil for drilling purposes–but we do know they aren’t using them now. The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) investigated Microbac and found 50 violations at their Baltimore, Maryland lab. Microbac has voluntarily relinquished its accreditation and will pay a $60,000 fine. Ouch. They will also pay to have an independent third-party audit (i.e. someone will come in and tell them what they’re doing wrong)…
Read More “Pittsburgh Water-Testing Lab’s Certification Pulled, $60K Fine”