Industrywide Issues

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    5 Radical Green Groups Sue to Stop Mountain Valley Pipeline

    Here we go again. A group of five, radicalized Big Green groups, led (by the nose) by the odious Sierra Club, filed a motion and a new lawsuit in federal court on Monday attempting to prevent construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP)–a $3.5 billion, 301-mile pipeline that will run from Wetzel County, WV to the Transco Pipeline in Pittsylvania County, VA. The pipeline is being built by EQT, NextEra Energy and several other partners. The Sierra Club along with Appalachian Voices, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and Wild Virginia, want a halt to MVP construction work until their lawsuit to reverse the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to approve the project is heard by the same court. We doubt the court will grant their request–but one never knows. The case (and motion) were filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Below is the Sierra Club’s smug, self-serving announcement about the lawsuit and motion, followed by copies of the lawsuit and motion…
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    Old Hippies Turn Out at WV DEP Hearing to Oppose Mountaineer Pipe

    In April 2017, MDN brought you the news that Columbia Pipeline (now owned by TransCanada) had filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to build a 3.5 mile, 8-inch pipeline that will carry natural gas from Pennsylvania to connect the Mountaineer Gas system in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia with the Columbia Gas Pipeline in Pennsylvania (see New 3.5 Mile Pipeline Project to Drill Under the Potomac River). That small section of pipeline is hotly opposed and part of the larger Eastern Panhandle Expansion project–a project to deliver natural gas via local distribution channels (local utility Mountaineer Gas) to a new industrial facility in Berkeley County, WV, and to provide gas to other local businesses and residents in the Tri-State area. There are three phases to the Eastern Panhandle Expansion project: Phase One runs a 22.5-mile, 10-inch-diameter steel pipeline from Morgan County to Martinsburg; Phase Two includes a loop to Charles Town; and Phase Three will build a four mile segment of pipeline into Martinsburg. The WV Dept. of Environmental Protection held a hearing on Phase One on Tuesday, at the Berkeley Springs High School. All of the people who spoke at the hearing, some 33 of the 80 people present, spoke against the project. If you look at a picture of the crowd, you’d swear you were at a ZZ Top look-alike convention. That is, a bunch of old hippies. Here’s a report on the Tuesday hearing…
    Read More “Old Hippies Turn Out at WV DEP Hearing to Oppose Mountaineer Pipe”

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    EIA Says 2018 Biggest NatGas Production Yr Ever, Thx to M-U Pipes

    Our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, issued its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday (full copy below). Most of the headlines in the media have been about EIA’s prediction that U.S. oil output will hit its highest level EVER in 2018. As in ever, in all of history. The simple reason for the record output is, of course, shale oil output–most of it coming from the once-sleepy Permian Basin in Texas. Something overlooked in yesterday’s report is that 2018 and 2019 will see the most U.S. natural gas output, EVER. EIA says that in 2018 the U.S. will average an additional 6.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natgas production. That is “like the U.S. adding the entire output of Turkmenistan — one of the world’s largest gas exporters — in the space of just one year.” Astonishing! There are two reasons why natgas production will see an historic increase this year: (1) associated gas–the more you drill for oil in the Permian and Bakken, the more natgas molecules come out of the ground along with the oil; and (2) the main reason…new pipelines in the Marcellus/Utica. “Pipelines able to carry roughly 7 billion cubic feet of gas a day away from the prolific Appalachian region are due to start up this year, allowing production that’s been bottled up in the East to flood out.” Thank you Marcellus/Utica for lifting the entire country to new heights!…
    Read More “EIA Says 2018 Biggest NatGas Production Yr Ever, Thx to M-U Pipes”

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    NYC Commits Fossil Fuel Suicide – Sues Big Oil, Ending Investments

    New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is clinically insane. It’s time to put him in a straitjacket and prevent him from doing any more damage to a once-great city. de Blasio is using city resources to sue five oil companies, blaming them for “climate change”–the hoax that mankind is causing the earth to warm at an apocalyptic rate. The theory behind global warming is that burning fossil fuels (extracted by the five companies) releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere where the CO2 then acts like a canopy over the earth, trapping in heat from the sun, causing the earth to warm. And, as the theory goes, Mom Earth is warming up to such a degree that it will “soon” (any year now) kill plants, animals, mankind–all living things. All sorts of ills are laid at the feet of so-called global warming, now called “climate change”, including earthquakes, major storms, hurricanes, pestilence, racism. No, we’re not exaggerating. EVERYTHING is blamed on global warming. Even the record cold temperatures that we’ve experienced in the northeast are blamed on global warming! Wait–how can that be? How can a canopy effect trapping heat cause COLDER temps? Obviously it can’t–but these people will believe anything. Yes, CLINICALLY INSANE. But maybe not totally insane, because at its root, de Blasio’s move is not *really* about global warming and preserving the planet–it’s about an avowed socialist (de Blasio admits his perverse political leanings) attempting to steal money from those who earn it, in order to redistribute it to people who don’t earn it–people who will keep voting de Blasio into office in response to his political bribery. de Blasio has also instructed the city to divest its pension funds from any company that remotely has anything to do with fossil fuels. Now that IS insane!…
    Read More “NYC Commits Fossil Fuel Suicide – Sues Big Oil, Ending Investments”

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    WV Update on China Investment: “Dirt Could be Flying This Year”

    WV Commerce Sec. Woody Thrasher

    West Virginia State Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher, the man who brokered an unbelievable deal with China, getting China to agree to spend a mind-blowing $83.7 BILLION in the Mountain State over the next 20 years, gave an update to WV legislators yesterday on the China deal. In early November Thrasher visited China as part of a trade delegation with President Trump. On that trip, China agreed to invest a total of $250 billion in American (mostly energy) projects, $83.7B of which (a full third!) will go to investments in WV (see China Agrees to Invest Amazing $83.7 BILLION in WV Shale, Petchem). One legislator at yesterday’s meeting wanted to know when the state might begin to see actual construction activity. Thrasher, who said he’s already made three visits to China and is leaving for his fourth visit this Saturday, said the Chinese have “a great sense of urgency” about beginning projects in the state, and that “the dirt could be flying this year.” Thrasher cautioned legislators that the state needs to up its regulatory and business game–to make the state more attractive to China and others who will flock to the region following a buildup of the shale/petrochemical industry. Thrasher also hinted that the Chinese may be willing to invest in the much-talked-about $10 billion NGL storage hub, the same project that recently received positive signs it will receive a loan guarantee from the federal government (see Appalachian NGL Storage Hub Gets Serious with DOE Loan Guarantee). Here’s Thrasher’s timely update to WV legislators…
    Read More “WV Update on China Investment: “Dirt Could be Flying This Year””

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    Confirmed: LNG Coming to Boston on Jan 22 is Illegal Russian Gas

    We now have confirmation from the Russians themselves that the natural gas shipment on its way to Boston we alerted you to a few days ago is, indeed, Russian gas from the Yamal LNG plant, located in the Russian Arctic (see Russian LNG Coming to Boston to Alleviate NatGas Shortage?!). Even the ultra libs at the Boston Globe are admitting it’s Russian gas. We certainly hope American authorities are on the case and will stop the shipment because it is ILLEGAL. As we told you in our story posted Monday, the U.S. slapped the Yamal LNG plant with sanctions following Russia’s moves against the Ukraine. It’s illegal to receive gas produced from that plant. Shippers attempted to whitewash the gas by unloading it in the UK, and a few days later, reloading it on a different ship, the Gaselys, now heading at full speed for Boston. This is an outrage, for a number of reasons, but we’ll mention two: (1) The gas is illegal. (2) More pipelines from the Marcellus Shale region, about 300 miles from Boston, would alleviate the high prices and shortages New England currently experiences. Instead, the “leaders” of New England continue to block pipelines–preferring to get their gas illegally from America’s enemies…
    Read More “Confirmed: LNG Coming to Boston on Jan 22 is Illegal Russian Gas”

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    New Bill Would Force PA DEP to Work WITH the Marcellus Industry

    Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Ellis (Republican from Butler County) introduced House Bill (HB) 1960 on Jan. 5. The bill, known as the “State Agency Regulatory Compliance Officer Act,” would create a new Regulatory Compliance Officer position in each state agency, including the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). The new Compliance Officer would have the authority “to block an agency from imposing fines and penalties for violations and to rewrite the policies under which fines and penalties are imposed.” The aim of the bill is to force all PA state agencies (including the DEP) to work *with* the people and companies they regulate. It would create a different mindset–instead of “gotcha” enforcement of regulations, it’s aimed at making it easy to comply with regulations. The bill states this in its opening lines: “(1) It is the purpose of this act for agencies to work collaboratively with, instead of acting punitively towards, regulated communities. (2) Agencies should strive to make the regulations which the agencies administer and enforce as clear and easily navigable as possible for regulated communities. (3) In administering a regulation, an agency’s primary goal should be to ensure compliance rather than to exact punishment.” Those who love Big Government don’t like this bill. Will this bill go anywhere? Who knows! What the bill indicates to us is that at least some legislators (Republicans) in Harrisburg are listening and “get it.” What do they get? That PA has developed a reputation for burdensome regulations and if the state wants the Marcellus miracle to continue, and grow, things need to change at the DEP. A $83.7 billion investment by China in neighboring WV’s shale/petrochemical industries should be a bright, red slap across every PA legislator’s face. Wake up! If you don’t fix the DEP, quickly, you’ll lose PA’s Marcellus momentum to someone else…
    Read More “New Bill Would Force PA DEP to Work WITH the Marcellus Industry”

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    Work on Mariner East 2 Continues Following “Stop Work” Order

    Last week MDN reported the news that the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has suspended all construction work on the Mariner East 2 Pipeline (ME2) project until further notice (see PA DEP Caves to Big Green Pressure, Stops All Work on ME2 Pipeline). However, all doesn’t necessarily mean all. A Chester County, PA anti’s celebration of the stop work order came crashing down when she noticed that work was still happening in an area located near her home. How can this be?! It seems the DEP’s statement that “all construction must stop” means “all construction which the DEP permits and authorizes must stop,” which can be further defined as “anything that disturbs the ground.” If the work involves digging, shoveling, etc., it’s stopped. But there’s still plenty of work that can continue–work that is not permitted by the DEP, including welding pipes together. That’s what’s happening at the site in Chester County–and local antis desperate to stop ME2 are mad and discouraged that Sunoco Logistics Partners continues to keep at least some of their workers busy while the company works to get full construction activity restored…
    Read More “Work on Mariner East 2 Continues Following “Stop Work” Order”

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    Jessup Town Board Continues Effort to Stop Gas-Fired Elec Plant

    We don’t know how many times we have to keep ringing the bell–this is a five-alarm situation! Wake up! A group of Democrats elected to the Jessup, PA Borough Council (Scranton suburb) are actively trying to block the completion of the state’s largest natural gas-fired electric generating plant–the first phase of which will be ready to go online in a little over a month. A bunch of ninny nanny antis didn’t like that they couldn’t stop the project, so they used money and help from Big Green groups last November to launch successful campaigns to defeat incumbent Council members who voted to authorize the Lackawanna Energy Center to be built by Invenergy (see Scranton Antis Get Political Revenge for Gas-Fired Power Plant). A new majority of anti-power plant radicals took office last week and wasted no time in attempting to slow (or stop) the project (see New Town Board Tries to Stop Nearly-Done Gas-Fired Plant in Jessup). Yesterday, Jessup Council members voted unanimously to hire the same attorney used by Big Green group Delaware Riverkeeper, Jordan Yeager, to “investigate” a request by Invenergy to flush 56,000 gallons of heated water (used to cool the plant) per day down the municipal sewer system. Council voted, unanimously, to pay Yeager and another attorney from the same Big Green law firm $225 per hour for their “expertise” in reviewing Invenergy’s request. No doubt the new council members are hoping Yeager can figure out a way to deny Invenergy’s request and perhaps kill the plant–or at the very least delay the project as long as possible. That seems to be the strategy here. Why else would Jessup Council hire a Big Green lawyer like Yeager? This is NOT a good faith effort to work with Invenergy, as some Council members pretend. It is a bad faith effort to screw Invenergy and stop the plant…
    Read More “Jessup Town Board Continues Effort to Stop Gas-Fired Elec Plant”

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    Hand Wringing in PA Following FERC Rejection of Coal/Nuke Subsidies

    Pennsylvania legislators (Democrats and RINOs) who were banking on the federal government to “fix” the problem of the free market are panicking after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected DOE Sec. Rick Perry’s so-called Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule that would tip the scales in favor coal and nuclear energy, keeping unprofitable electric generators in business longer (see FERC Rejects Trump DOE Plan to Favor Coal & Nukes re Electric Grid). The PA legislators are panicking because nuke and coal plants in the state may now shut down much sooner than expected. To be fair, those plants employ a number of good people–and we hate to see anyone lose a job. But the fact is new gas-fired plants are taking their place, and those new gas plants generate good jobs too. The legislators were hoping the feds would do something, and since the feds aren’t doing anything, that means the problem now bounces back to the individual states, including PA. There’s a lot of hand wringing around Harrisburg. To which we say, relax! Marcellus Shale gas has got your back. Most of the noise about this issue comes from those who own the dinosaur/dying facilities. They don’t really give a flip about “grid reliability.” They only care about their own businesses and seek crony capitalism to prop up the bottom line. FERC made the right decision. PA legislators need to get a grip. This is not the end of the world…
    Read More “Hand Wringing in PA Following FERC Rejection of Coal/Nuke Subsidies”

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    During Drilling “Downturn” PA Local Govts Still Reap Econ Benefits

    One of the loudest, most persistent arguments by Democrats (and RINOs) in Pennsylvania in favor of a severance tax is that the existing impact fee (actually, better called an impact “tax”) have decreased over time because of a decrease in the number of new wells drilled due to the downturn in the market. There are two gigantic problems with their argument: (1) the impact tax has turned around, and is rising again (see IFO Predicts PA Impact Fees for 2017 Will Soar, Near Record High); and (2) a new study by environmental think tank Resources for the Future finds that even during the “downturn years,” the most heavily drilled shale states (including PA) saw an increase in revenue to local governments. Although impact tax revenue may fluctuate up and down, on average townships in PA now have more revenue because of shale than they did prior to the Marcellus revolution. Although the oil and gas industry has always been a “boom and bust” industry, and will remain so, it now appears the highs will not be as high and the lows not as low as they once were. Below is a full copy of “Local Fiscal Effects of a Drilling Downturn: Local Government Impacts of Decreased Oil and Gas Activity in Five US Shale Regions”…
    Read More “During Drilling “Downturn” PA Local Govts Still Reap Econ Benefits”

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    Our Favorite Govt Agency, EIA, Gets New Leader: Dr. Linda Capuano

    Dr. Linda Capuano

    Our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), now has a new Administrator. President Trump has appointed Dr. Linda Capuano to the position. She began her new job yesterday. Capuano was, until her new job at EIA, a fellow in energy technology at the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies. She was also on the faculty of Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, where she taught operations strategy for the executive MBA program. EIA is about as non-political of an agency as you can find in Washington, DC. We’re sure she will keep it that way. EIA needs to be apolitical because they publish critical information on energy–both its production and use. There’s no room in cold, hard data for political gamesmanship. We religiously follow the EIA’s monthly Drilling Productivity Report (see the most recent edition here: EIA Dec ’17 Drilling Report: New Year to Begin in Record Territory). Please join us in welcoming Dr. Capuano to this very important position…
    Read More “Our Favorite Govt Agency, EIA, Gets New Leader: Dr. Linda Capuano”

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    FERC Rejects Trump DOE Plan to Favor Coal & Nukes re Electric Grid

    On September 29, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directing the agency to complete action on a “Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule”–ostensibly within 60 days. The proposed rule Perry proffered, sometimes referred to as the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), would put in place regulations that favor electric generating plants powered by coal and nuclear. That is, it would allow unprofitable ventures to pass along new costs, making them profitable–in the name of protecting the electric grid. The theory Perry (and by extension President Trump) subscribe to is that if the free market drives out coal and nuke plants, the electric grid would be “vulnerable” to far fewer sources to power it. If coal and nukes are all but gone, and all of sudden there’s a natural gas shortage, or prices spike for natural gas, it would endanger the electric supply in this country. On one side of the argument are those who believe the free market sometimes needs a helping hand (via regulation), and on the other those who believe the free market will sort it all out and we are not vulnerable. The incoming/new chairman of FERC, Kevin McIntyre, asked for an extension so he and another new FERC member could take a little time to do a proper review (see Kevin McIntyre Sworn in as 5th FERC Commissioner, New Chairman). The review is done and yesterday all five FERC commissioners voted unanimously to reject Perry’s Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule. However, as a consolation prize, FERC launched an effort to formally canvas electric grid operators, compelling them to respond with details of their plans for grid resiliency. It’s a small bone to coal and nuclear, but a bone nonetheless…
    Read More “FERC Rejects Trump DOE Plan to Favor Coal & Nukes re Electric Grid”

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    DRBC Schedules More Freak Shows on Proposed Frack Ban Regulation

    In September, MDN told you that the obsequious members of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) had slavishly obeyed their radical environmental masters by voting to move forward with a permanent ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin (see DRBC Votes Tomorrow on Permanent Frack Ban Resolution). The final ban language/regulation was dropped like a bomb by DRBC staff on Nov. 30 (see DRBC Drops Permanent Frack Ban Bomb – Public Hearings in January). In dropping their bomb, the DRBC said (with no proof) that fracking “poses significant, immediate and long-term risks” to the waters in the basin. Then they declared, by fiat, that “High volume hydraulic fracturing in hydrocarbon bearing rock formations is prohibited within the Delaware River Basin.” However, they also said (in the fine print) that water from the Delaware River Basin can be used by frackers in other locations–which sent antis like THE Delaware Riverkeeper into apoplectic shock. The DRBC announced they would allow public comment, via written communication, through Feb. 28. They also planned four public hearings (i.e. freak shows) to allow antis the opportunity to parade before the microphones and make jerks of themselves (we’ve seen it many times). Antis said three months wasn’t enough time to crank up the form letter machine nor is it enough freak show opportunities (see Enviros Tell DRBC Not Enough Freak Shows Scheduled on Frack Ban). True to form, the DRBC has, once again, caved to the only constituency they listen to: anti-drillers. Yesterday the DRBC announced they will extend the public comment period from Feb. 28 to Mar. 30, and they will add another two freak show public hearings to the roster…
    Read More “DRBC Schedules More Freak Shows on Proposed Frack Ban Regulation”

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    New Study Says Mariner East 1 & 2 will Deliver $9B to PA Economy

    In February 2015, Philadelphia-based economic consulting firm Econsult Solutions released a study looking the potential economic impact of the Mariner East 1 & 2 projects, concluding the two project together would result in $4.2 billion coming to Pennsylvania (see New Study: Mariner East 1 & 2 Pipelines Mean $4.2B Windfall in PA). However, projects like Mariner East change over time. Econsult revisited and revamped their original study to reflect those changes. Know what they found? ME1 & ME2 together will result in over $9 billion of economic impact in PA! How could it be that much? Just consider, the two projects together will have created 57,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs between 2014 and 2019 (9,500 jobs annually) with earnings of $2.7 billion impacting multiple industries. And that’s just the jobs piece of the puzzle! Although total economic impact will exceed $9 billion, the pipeline will continue to generate revenue for PA state coffers for years into the future, via taxes and by feeding the petrochemical industry in the Philadelphia area. It’s not $9B total–it’s $9B initially. Sadly, the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection last week halted all work on Mariner East 2, delaying the economic benefits of the project in PA (see PA DEP Caves to Big Green Pressure, Stops All Work on ME2 Pipeline). Let’s hope ME2 resumes work quickly. In the meantime, we have a copy of Econsult’s new report below, along with comments by antis who ignore the hard science in front of their faces that the Mariner pipelines are a bonanza for PA…
    Read More “New Study Says Mariner East 1 & 2 will Deliver $9B to PA Economy”

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    Minuteman Seeks Justice Against Kathleen Kane & PA AG’s Office

    One of the companies in the Marcellus industry targeted for extinction by Pennsylvania’s former Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, was Minuteman Environmental Services (see PA’s Anti-Drilling AG Charges Minuteman with Enviro Crimes). Minuteman was a Pennsylvania company serving the shale industry with several different businesses. In 2014, Kane orchestrated what can only be called a terror attack on Minuteman and its owner Brian Bolus and his family (see Minuteman Enviro Says PA AG Office “Terrorized” Family Members, Filing Lawsuit). Kane’s vendetta against Minuteman was one of the most egregious examples of her abuse of power while she was AG. Kane’s attack on this small business literally drove it out of existence–they finally went bankrupt. One of the charges Kane used against the owner of the business, Brian Bolus, is that he illegally added his mom and dad to the health insurance plan for the company, even though they were not employees. Fantastically, Kane went after mom and dad, charging them with health care fraud! That charge, along with other charges, were dropped in 2016 (see Former PA AG Kathleen Kane’s Vendetta Against Marcellus Co Over). In fact, out of the original 83 charges (56 charges being felonies), 81 of the charges have been dropped. The final two charges–misdemeanors (barely above a traffic ticket in the pecking order), go to trial this month and will (hopefully) also be dropped. It has taken four, long, years for Bolus and Minuteman to be exonerated legally. During that time, Kane herself was tried and convicted for committing perjury–a felony–and removed from office (unrelated to the Marcellus industry). Kane and the AG’s office caused extreme harm to Brian Bolus and his family–reputationally, and economically. Nothing can ever make up for the years and loss of reputation and forcing a company to go bankrupt, throwing hundreds of people out of jobs. However, there is *something* can be done. Bolus has filed a lawsuit (copy below) against Kane and the AG’s office and some of the people in the AG’s office that maliciously targeted him and his company. He’s demanding a jury trial–to help right the extreme wrong that’s been done…
    Read More “Minuteman Seeks Justice Against Kathleen Kane & PA AG’s Office”