Pennsylvania House Bill (HB) 827, which would make a permanent frack ban by the Delaware River Basin Commission (if adopted) a government “taking” or seizure of a citizens’ property liable for compensation, passed the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee yesterday with a bipartisan vote of 16-9.
Read More “PA House Bill to Make DRBC Pay Big Bucks for Drilling Ban Advances”
In October 2016, Indeck Energy announced a plan to build a $1 billion electric generating plant (powered by natural gas) in Niles, Michigan, not far from Chicago (see $1B Electric Plant Planned Near Chicago, M-U Connection?). In February 2018, Indeck said construction would begin in summer 2018 (see Indeck to Start Building $1B Gas-Powered Electric Plant in Michigan). Never happened.
Read More “Delayed Michigan Gas-Fired Plant Close to Construction Start”
Andrew Cuomo, contrary to the picture he attempts to paint for gullible voters and the even more gullible mainstream news reporters, is a very weak “leader.” In what has become an identifiable pattern, when Cuomo is put under pressure by the fringe left environmental lobby, he folds to that pressure like a cheap suit. Totally gives in and accedes to whatever weird demands they make–like no new gas pipelines. Even when it economically hurts the state.
Read More “Radicals Turn Up Heat on Weak Cuomo to Reject Williams Bay Pipe”
Next Wednesday the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on plans to drill a shale well(s) on the property of U.S. Steel Corporation’s Edgar Thomson Plant in a Pittsburgh suburb. What’s so unusual about the well(s) is that U.S. Steel itself will be “the sole consumer of the natural gas extracted.” That is, U.S. Steel will use the gas to power/feed the steel plant.
Read More “PA DEP Hearing for Shale Well at U.S. Steel Plant Near Pittsburgh”
In 2016 Crestwood Equity Partners formed a joint venture with New York City’s largest utility company, Consolidated Edison Inc., to operate a critical link of pipelines and storage facilities in the heart of the Utica/Marcellus, called Stagecoach Gas Services (see Con Ed & Crestwood Seal the Deal on Marcellus Pipeline/Storage JV). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has launched an investigation into the fees charged by that service, which may now be too high following the Trump tax cuts.
Read More “FERC Launches Investigation into Overcharging by Stagecoach Pipe”
In February Pennsylvania State Sen. Lisa Baker introduced Senate Bill (SB) 305, which would make a proposed Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) frack ban officially a government “taking” under eminent domain (see PA Bill Requires Landowner Compensation if DRBC Bans Fracking). A similar bill has been introduced in the PA House. Yesterday the House held a committee hearing on House Bill (HB) 827, and our buddy Tom Shepstone was one of the star experts who testified.
Read More “PA House Advances Bill Against DRBC Frack Ban – 1st Vote Next Week”
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) will hold a public hearing on April 15 to consider draft permits the agency has floated to allow two frack wastewater injection wells (Class II) in Coshocton County to be reclassified as Class I wells, allowing them to accept waste other than frack waste.
Read More “Ohio Hearing re Making Coshocton Class II Injection Wells Class I”
Equitrans’ 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) from West Virginia to southern Virginia is now 70% done (see Shocker: Mountain Valley Pipeline Now 70% Built, Online by 4Q19). Last November MVP filed a new project plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to expand MVP *another* 70 miles south, into North Carolina (see EQT Makes it Official, Files with FERC to Extend MVP into NC).
Read More “FERC Issues Timeline to Decide on Mountain Valley Pipe Expansion”
Two days ago MDN brought you news about a new bill in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, HB 247, which would allow fully leased parcels that are part of one drilling “unit” to be combined with parcels in a different unit (see PA Floats Bill to Allow Shale Drilling to Span Multiple Units). “Cross-unit drilling,” if you will. We connected a few dots and made some observations that maybe were not quite on the mark. This post presents “the other side” of the HB 247 issue.
Read More “Revisiting PA Bill to Allow Shale Drilling Across Multiple Units”
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is conducting a series of four public meetings (called scoping sessions) for both the Williams Leidy South Project (see Williams Planning 2 New, 2 Upgraded Compressor Stations in NEPA) and the National Fuel Gas Company FM100 Project (see NFG FM100 Pipe Project in NW PA to Feed Marcellus Gas to Transco). Both projects work together to flow more Marcellus gas to the Transco Zone 6 region.
Read More “FERC Compressor Stn Hearing Near Wilkes-Barre Turns Up 1 Anti”
In January the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a favorable environmental assessment for New Jersey Resources’ Adelphia Gateway pipeline project in the Philadelphia area (see Adelphia Gateway Pipe Enviro Assessment Approved by FERC). On Saturday, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) indicated it will soon issue a federal “401” Clean Water Act stream crossing permit for the project.
Read More “PA DEP Signals Approval for Adelphia Gateway Pipe Near Philly”
Last May, Liberty Utilities, located and operating in New Hampshire, announced a new pipeline project called Granite Bridge–27 miles of new natural gas pipeline to be buried along Route 101 from Stratham to Manchester, along with an LNG storage facility located midway along the pipeline (see Liberty Utilities Floats Plan for 27-Mile Pipeline in Southern NH). The project faces more regulatory approvals, but the new/good news is that it continues to make progress.
Read More “NH Granite Bridge Pipeline Unicorn – Still Alive, Cost Up 30%”
Witch hunts take a loooong time when it’s the U.S. government doing the hunting. We told you back in 2015 that the U.S. Dept. of Labor was unfairly targeting the Marcellus industry, looking at every time slip, to see if they could bag companies violating federal overtime regulations–not paying their workers overtime (see Labor Dept. Unfairly Targets Marcellus Industry in SWPA & WV).
Read More “WV Pipeline Co. Clipped for $3.7M for Overtime Violations”
Some Pennsylvania landowners have recently been approached by the companies they’re leased with, asking landowners to sign amended leases to allow cross-unit drilling. We personally know of one case in which a driller requested such an amendment in northeast PA. So it is with great interest we notice a new bill has been introduced in the PA House, specifically to allow cross-unit shale drilling.
Read More “PA Floats Bill to Allow Shale Drilling to Span Multiple Units”
In February MDN told you about an important decision by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals that has the potential to override New York State and allow both the Constitution Pipeline and Northern Access Pipeline projects to get built (see Recent Fed Court Decision Gives NY Pipes Hope for Bypassing Cuomo). The Hoopa Valley Tribe v. FERC decision is still causing shock waves–especially among Big Green groups. We have some analysis below of that decision and how states like NY may now behave in light of the decision.
Read More “Analyzing the Court Decision that May Allow Constitution Pipeline”
In December, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) released a draft of onerous new regulations that focus on reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and so-called fugitive methane (see Pa. DEP Jumps the Gun with Proposed New Emissions Regs). The new regs will force drillers and pipeline companies to spend big bucks to produce a teeny tiny improvement in emissions. The DEP is back, once again pushing its bad plan.
Read More “PA DEP to Push Onerous New Air Regs at Upcoming Meeting”