DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 5 Yrs to Build
In September 2022, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), a dysfunctional, hot mess of an organization, voted to extend a permit to build the special LNG export dock along the shoreline of the Delaware River in New Jersey by an extra three years (see DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 3 Yrs to Build). That action sent the enviro-left, including THE Delaware Riverkeeper (Maya van Rossum), into apoplectic fits. Here we are three years later at the end of the extension, and in a surprise move, the five members of the DRBC voted unanimously to extend the deadline *another* five years! Once again, the left is sputtering. Read More “DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 5 Yrs to Build”
In early August, MDN told you that someone had lit a fire under the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the agency’s program to plug old wells. To date, the DEP has plugged a little over 300 old orphaned wells in the past three years under do-nothing Governor Josh Shapiro, but that Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has plugged over 700 wells in the same period (see 
Despite a “public outcry” (of 13 people), the Chesapeake City (Virginia) Council voted 6-3 in July to approve a compressor station for Virginia Natural Gas (see 
Newly elected Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan defeated incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright in last November’s election to represent Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, located in the northeastern corner of the state. Bresnahan hit the ground running, particularly in addressing energy issues. His district includes Wayne and Pike counties, where landowners have had their right to drill for natural gas seized by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). Bresnahan introduced a bill in June that would heighten DRBC accountability and oversight. We call it putting the DRBC on a short leash (see 
Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new guidance (a relaxation of regulations) to streamline its New Source Review (NSR) permitting process. The relaxed regs are designed to accelerate the construction of essential power generation and manufacturing facilities. EPA’s action provides flexibility to begin certain building activities that are NOT related to air emissions, such as installing cement pads, before obtaining a Clean Air Act (CAA) construction permit. More common-sense solutions from the Trump administration to address a completely screwed up regulatory state. 
Last November, Williams officially filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to build an expansion of its mighty Transco pipeline system in the southeastern U.S., a project called the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (see 
A growing coalition representing America’s energy and manufacturing sectors is urging Congress to act swiftly to (finally) modernize the permitting system and unlock new energy investment. With Congress’s return to the swamp, a diverse group of business and energy organizations sent letters to House and Senate leaders calling for bipartisan permitting reform. In a letter to Congress signed by the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Data Center Coalition, American Council on Renewable Energy, National Ocean Industries Association, and more, the business and energy groups wrote: “The time has come to modernize our nation’s permitting systems so that our communities can build the infrastructure necessary to grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, and meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.” It seems the message was received. Congress has scheduled hearings on permitting reform beginning today. 
Two weeks ago, Marietta, OH, officials, including the city’s Republican mayor, law director, water superintendent, and a majority of city council members, asked the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Oil and Gas Chief Eric Vendel to deny a permit application from DeepRock Disposal Solutions for the Stephan #1 injection well, which would be the company’s fifth injection well in the area (see 
There is a disagreement brewing between those who operate the PJM Interconnection power grid and Big Tech, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others, regarding the issue of adding data centers to the PJM grid. PJM recently proposed a fast-track stakeholder process to develop rules by the end of the year for interconnecting data centers to its system while ensuring the region has enough power supplies. The proposal would treat new data centers over 50 megawatts (MW) as “non-capacity-backed load” (or NCBL). Under the proposal, PJM could curtail (reduce or cut off) power deliveries to data centers with NCBL status before the grid operator moves to pre-emergency load curtailments for other electricity users. Big Tech doesn’t like it one little bit. 
We’re still waiting for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to gain two new members, which would give the commission its full complement of five members (with three of them Republicans). In June, President Trump nominated Laura Swett of Vison & Elkins to replace Republican Mark Christie, who had been elevated to Chairman under Trump (see 
Last week, MDN brought you the news that Freeport Township, located in Greene County, PA, declared a Disaster Emergency on June 23, 2025 (see 
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 
Unlike Ohio, with its over 200 oil and gas wastewater injection wells, Pennsylvania operates just 18 such wells (
We’re not sure how to feel about this story. Outrage. Relief. Sarcasm. Befuddlement. All of those emotions swirl in our heads. For years, we have chronicled the radical/left position of former Attorney General (and now Governor) Maura Healey in Massachusetts with her opposition to pipelines and natural gas energy (here’s one of many examples: 
Earlier this year, a video circulated on social media featuring a Biden EPA political appointee talking about “tossing gold bars off the Titanic,” intentionally rushing to get billions of tax dollars out of the agency before Inauguration Day. The EPA’s new sheriff, Lee Zeldin, located $20 billion of those gold bars sitting at a Citibank bank account (see