NJDEP Virtual Hearing on Permit for Williams NESE Project Sept. 10
We’ve extensively covered the Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project over the years, including its death in May 2024 (see Sad Day: NY Assassinates Another Williams Pipeline Project – NESE), and now, its resurrection in 2025 (see Trump Deal Trades NY Offshore Wind for Constitution, NESE Pipes). Most of the press over the years, and this year, surrounding the project, has focused on New York State blocking the project. However, New Jersey has also played a role. And now, you can play a role in convincing NJ to issue permits for the project. Read More “NJDEP Virtual Hearing on Permit for Williams NESE Project Sept. 10”


This post is not directly about the Marcellus/Utica, but the issue we discuss is important and significantly affects the M-U. Andrew Dehoff, the Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), is sounding the alarm about potential water usage for hyperscale data centers that will be located in the SRBC’s jurisdiction. Dehoff spoke at a Pennsylvania State Senate hearing on Monday. These giant data centers are BIG users of energy and, potentially, big users of water. The water is used not only to cool gas-fired power plants that generate energy for the data centers, but the data centers themselves use water to help cool the thousands upon thousands of computers located in them.
Competitive Power Ventures’ 680-megawatt CPV Valley Energy Center in Wawayanda, NY, fired up and began producing enough electricity to power 600,000 liberal NY homes in October 2018 (see
The Trump administration has been a blizzard of activity since it began in January. We absolutely love it. The Trump team has so overwhelmed the radical left that they run in circles chasing their tails. Yet every now and again, the Trump team makes a misstep (in our estimation). We understand that nobody is going to agree 100% with someone else. Not even spouses! But we strongly object to this misstep. Under new mandates proposed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), beginning in 2028, a total of 1% of America’s LNG exports must be carried via U.S.-flagged vessels. From 2029 onwards, 1% of U.S. LNG exports should be shipped on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built vessels. 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Mark Christie, who first became a FERC commissioner when appointed by President Trump during his first term, was promoted to become the FERC Chairman by Trump in January (see
We have some disturbing news to share, and not a lot of details (yet). Executive Order 1996-1 in Pennsylvania requires all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to submit for publication (twice a year) an agenda of regulations under development or consideration. The agendas are compiled to provide members of the regulated community and the general public with advanced notice of regulatory activity. The Josh Shapiro administration published such a semi-annual list over the weekend in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) includes an item in its list of proposed new regulations that “proposes to establish an annual fee for unconventional operations.”
Upper Burrell (Westmoreland County, PA) town supervisors have historically been receptive (or at least tolerant) to the Marcellus Shale industry that has so blessed their town and Westmoreland County. But attitudes seemed to change last December, at least with respect to wastewater injection wells (see
The two U.S. companies that export ethane, Energy Transfer and Enterprise Products Partners, are both saying that the Trump administration’s temporary block on shipping ethane to China in June gave our export industry a black eye, and China is much less likely to contract for more of our ethane shipments. (Cue the violins.) However, when you consider that China buys half (50%) of our ethane exports, and that ethane exports represent a good chunk of revenue for both companies (both with operations in the Marcellus/Utica), it’s not nothing.
Well, isn’t this interesting! Just yesterday we told you that Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has plugged a little over 300 old orphaned (no current owner) wells over the past three years, but that Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) had plugged over 700 in the same period (see
In January 2024, MDN told you about a long-closed landfill that seeks to reopen in Liberty and Pine Townships in Mercer County, PA (see
Three members of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Arvind Venkat (Democrat from Allegheny County), Elizabeth Fiedler (Democrat from Philadelphia), and Craig Williams (Republican from Delaware/Chester counties, Philly suburbs) are planning to introduce legislation to “establish regulatory clarity” to encourage the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Pennsylvania. There’s a lot to unpack in that opening statement. First, this is a bipartisan effort. Second, they want to encourage more geothermal energy development in the state. When you understand that Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) uses the same method of fracking used for natural gas and oil well drilling, it makes this bipartisan effort a real eye-opener.
Two days ago, MDN brought you the news confirming that Shell is looking to sell all or part of its Beaver County, PA, ethane cracker plant operation (see