Regulation

  • | | |

    CO2 Emissions Will Go Up 33% Despite Paris Summit, Obama Bluster

    cigarYou may recall a few months back when President Barack Hussein Obama signed the Paris climate treaty, referred to as COP21. As we wrote at the time, the treaty is not binding on the U.S. because it’s not been ratified by the Senate (see Paris Climate Treaty Signed by Obama NOT Binding on U.S.). Nice try O. Close, but no carbon-emitting cigar for you. The treaty aims to force the countries of the world to subjugate themselves and their national sovereignty to the United Nations, who will impose draconian steps to lower the amount of carbon dioxide (the stuff you breathe out with every breath you take) in an idiotic attempt to solve man-made global warming. We know we know, global warming doesn’t exist. But you can’t tell that to people with closed minds. Here’s the thing: Obama’s own executive branch in the form of our favorite government agency–the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)–has just released a report that says even with COP21 the amount of carbon that will be emitted into the atmosphere by 2040 will go up at least one-third! Why? Because the countries outside of the group signing COP21 have absolutely no plans to shoot themselves in the head and will continue to belch out carbon as fast as they can. So yes, COP21 was futile and meaningless…
    Read More “CO2 Emissions Will Go Up 33% Despite Paris Summit, Obama Bluster”

  • | | | | |

    NY DEC Calls Propane Fracking “Unique Technology”; Wants More Info

    LPG Fracturing
    LPG Fracturing – Click for larger version

    It only took nine months, but the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which moves like a glacier, has finally responded to a request by a group of farmers in Tioga County, NY to use propane fracking technology (also known as LPG fracturing or “liquefied petroleum gas”) on a shale well. Last July a group of landowners flying under the name of The Snyder Farm Group (five families make up the group) contracted with Tioga Energy Partners (based in Texas) to drill a fracked Utica Shale well, and follow it up with drilling a fracked Marcellus Shale well, using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or propane) and sand (see NY Landowners File to Frack Horizontal Well w/Waterless Tech and NY Heroes: More Details on NY Propane Fracking Proposal). The wells will not use water for fracking–and therefore, according to the landowners, avoid the ban on high volume fracking recently imposed by Andrew Cuomo. It’s just coming to light that last month the DEC issued a “notice of incomplete application” for the proposal (see a copy below) and requested more information on things as truck traffic, how long it will take to frack, the type of storage tanks that will be used, etc. This is more Cuomo tried and true delay as long as you can, then delay some more. It’s always worked so well for the corrupt Cuomo, why not keep doing it? Here’s the details…
    Read More “NY DEC Calls Propane Fracking “Unique Technology”; Wants More Info”

  • | | |

    Antis Want FERC to Use Communism Instead of Capitalism

    Command and ControlA general warning and heads-up on the newest/latest attack in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Well, maybe it’s not all that new–it’s been going on for a few years–but the intensity and pace of the attacks have picked up. We’re talking about the argument being made by anti fossil-fuelers that FERC doesn’t, by law, consider all pipelines when it evaluates a single pipeline–i.e. “cumulative effects.” For example, if three different pipeline requests for the same region are filed with FERC, FERC does not have the authority to decide only one of the three is really “needed” and that building all three would be “overbuilding.” FERC evaluates them one by one and (properly so) and lets the free market (i.e. capitalism) decide which one(s) will get built. FERC is not in the business of Communistic command-and-control decisions over private companies. FERC’s concern is that a given, single pipeline project doesn’t harm the environment and shows a need. Period. Antis, detecting an opportunity, want to force FERC, either by social pressure or by the courts, to take into consideration larger regional concerns–and even mythical global warming concerns–before making decisions. Here’s the latest example, from Virginia…
    Read More “Antis Want FERC to Use Communism Instead of Capitalism”

  • | |

    EPA Does it Again: Tries to Destroy O&G with New Methane Rule

    EPA-logo.jpgYesterday the federal Environmental Protection Agency–a rogue agency that is out of control and drunk on its own power (and needs reigning in)–issued more shale-killing regulations, designed to suppress the very revolution that has kept the United States out of an economic depression despite Obama’s wild spending spree. The EPA issued 600 pages of new regulations that require drillers to install expensive new equipment to locate so-called fugitive methane that may or may not be leaking from wells, pipelines, etc. And if they find such microscopic amounts of methane, they need to capture it. All in the name of preventing non-existent man-made global warming. What a lark. But it’s no laughing matter. You can tell it’s a bad regulation because the oil and gas industry has lined up against it, and radical, leftist environmental groups have lined up to support it. They should–they helped create it…
    Read More “EPA Does it Again: Tries to Destroy O&G with New Methane Rule”

  • | | | | | | | | |

    Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY

    Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map
    Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map – click for larger version

    Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to begin the pre-filing process on a new project, called the Northeast Supply Enhancement project. The new project is meant to increase pipeline capacity and flows heading into northeastern markets. In particular, Transco wants to provide more natural gas to utility giant National Grid beginning with the 2019-2020 heating season. National Grid operates in New York City, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Northeast Supply Enhancement project would build 10 miles of new pipeline in Lancaster County, PA (laid next to three existing pipelines, in the same corridor). It would also require 22 miles of new offshore pipeline located in New York Bay. A new compressor station would be built in Somerset County, NJ along with other upgrades, including an added compressor unit at a plant in Chester County, PA…
    Read More “Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY”

  • | | | |

    Partisan PA Anti Groups in Urge Support of Onerous New DEP Regs

    PA DEPTwo more partisan organizations in Pennsylvania are publicly supporting PA Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed redo of drilling regulations–regulations that threaten conventional and unconventional drilling in the state. The fact that the radical PA Trout Unlimited and the League of [Liberal Democrat] Women Voters of Pennsylvania are supporting the Dept. of Environmental Protection’s update of Rule 78 and 78a is all you need to know about just how bad a proposal it is. These groups join other anti-drilling groups in supporting the new rules (see PennFuture “Lauds” PA Vote to Accept Onerous New Drilling Regs). Wolf hopes by having such groups publicly endorse the changes, he can force it through…
    Read More “Partisan PA Anti Groups in Urge Support of Onerous New DEP Regs”

  • | | | |

    Appalachia NARO Calls for Drilling in Wayne Natl Forest – NOW

    NARO AppalachiaYesterday we reported that a group of Ohio landowners calling themselves LEASE (Landowners for Energy Access and Safe Exploration) are encouraging Ohio residents to write in support of drilling in the Wayne National Forest (see OH Landowners Urge BLM to Proceed with Wayne Natl Forest Drilling). The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been holding up drilling in WNF, even though some 60% of the mineral rights for the land in the forest is privately owned. Another landowner group has stepped up to add their voice–and to push back a little harder than LEASE has. The Appalachia chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO) is calling on the BLM to allow drilling–now. NARO points out most of the mineral rights are privately owned–not controlled by the government. For the government to stop development of private land is an offense…
    Read More “Appalachia NARO Calls for Drilling in Wayne Natl Forest – NOW”

  • | | |

    OH Landowners Urge BLM to Proceed with Wayne Natl Forest Drilling

    Wayne National Forest
    Wayne National Forest

    As MDN told you last week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently seeking public comments on a plan to allow drilling in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest, or WNF (see Another Baby Step in Fracking Ohio’s Wayne National Forest). WNF is a “patchwork” of public land scattered among private land. Some 60% of the mineral rights below WNF are privately owned. Those mineral rights owners have been denied the use of their property rights going on a decade. Ohio landowners are fed up with waiting for the federal bureaucracy to get off its rear-end and allow drilling. In response to the latest BLM call for public input, a group of Ohio landowners calling themselves LEASE–Landowners for Energy Access and Safe Exploration–praising the BLM for its favorable Environmental Assessment (EA) on WNF drilling, and calling on Ohio landowners to provide comments to the BLM during this period. LEASE is hoping a strong showing from Ohio landowners may push the groaning, creaking federal bureaucracy into action to allow drilling…
    Read More “OH Landowners Urge BLM to Proceed with Wayne Natl Forest Drilling”

  • | | | |

    PA-Based CELDF Looks for New Dupes in Meigs County, OH

    CELDF logoWe’ve written plenty in the past about the PA-based radical anti-drilling group called CELDF–Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (see our CELDF stories here). CELDF seems to have a lot of success in tricking people in Ohio into believing they can pass a so-called Community Bill of Rights to ban fracking, injection wells, etc.–illegal under Ohio state law. When such legislation is passed and then gets challenged, it loses in court. Every time. And when private companies sue for damages, taxpayers end up footing the bill and the CELDF is nowhere to be found (see Anti Group CELDF Won’t Help Grant Twp Pay $1M Judgement). The CELDF is trying their trickery again–this time in Meigs County, OH and in the City of Waterville (in Meigs County). As Forrest Gump said: Stupid is as stupid does…
    Read More “PA-Based CELDF Looks for New Dupes in Meigs County, OH”

  • | | | |

    PennEast Pipeline Requests NJ’s Help with “Green Acres” Process

    Green AcresThe PennEast Pipeline, a $1 billion, 118-mile pipeline from Luzerne County, PA to Mercer County, NJ, continues to bend over backwards, forwards and into yoga knots in order to accommodate the wishes of various special interest groups. The latest in that effort is PennEast’s invitation to several New Jersey municipalities and non-profit groups to provide feedback on PennEast’s open space initiative. Part of the PennEast route will traverse 15 acres of encumbered “Green Acres” parcels–open spaces meant to stay open and not be developed. PennEast plans to lay their pipe four feet down, cover it up, and the green/open spaces will remain green and open, forever. In fact, according to PennEast, when the pipeline installation is done and dusted, there will be “significantly more open space” than there is today. Look for THE Delaware Riverkeeper (Maya van Rossum) and other radical leftists to demagogue this latest effort by PennEast to be a good neighbor…
    Read More “PennEast Pipeline Requests NJ’s Help with “Green Acres” Process”

  • | | | |

    What Can We Learn from Spectra’s Success with Pipeline Projects?

    Spectra Energy logoWith pipeline projects like Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Energy Direct (NED) deciding to call it quits (see NED is Dead – Kinder Morgan Suspends $3.3B New England Pipeline), and projects like the Constitution Pipeline that runs through New York State on life support (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline), you have to ask an honest question: What pipeline projects can and do get approved and built? There’s one company that seems to enjoy more success than others when it comes to getting new projects built–Spectra Energy. Kinder’s NED was arguably the superior project when it comes to getting natural gas to New England, yet Spectra’s competing Access Northeast project seems to have won. Why? What can we learn from Spectra that might help the rest of the industry when it comes to getting projects built?…
    Read More “What Can We Learn from Spectra’s Success with Pipeline Projects?”

  • | | | |

    PA Democrat Senator Calls for Frack Ban in Lake Erie Watershed

    Sean_Wiley
    PA State Sen. Sean Wiley

    Yet another Pennsylvania Democrat in the state legislature is calling for a frack ban. What is it about PA Dems and their allergies to fossil fuels? This time the pandering Dem is State Sen. Sean Wiley–and he’s calling for a ban on fracking in the Lake Erie watershed of western PA. His reasoning for illegally seizing the property rights of his constituents is really kind of funny. He says there should be a ban until we “see what are the risks associated with unconventional drilling.” Even though PA has been using unconventional drilling (i.e. horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing) in the Marcellus Shale since 2004. Apparently 13 years of intense drilling in the Keystone State is still not enough for Sen. Wiley to know what the risks associated with such drilling are. Either Wiley is lying, or he’s a dope. We doubt he’s a dope…
    Read More “PA Democrat Senator Calls for Frack Ban in Lake Erie Watershed”

  • | | | | | |

    Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC

    Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map
    Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

    The sun continues to rise on on Williams’ Transco Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. It seems like we’ve covered the story of Atlantic Sunrise forever–a $2.1 billion project consisting of compression and looping of the Transco Leidy Line in Pennsylvania along with a greenfield (brand new) pipeline segment of 178 miles, called the Central Penn Line, connecting the northeastern Marcellus producing region to the Transco mainline near Station 195 in southeastern Pennsylvania (see Atlantic Sunrise Will Pump $1.6B into Economy, Create 8K Jobs). There’s been some opposition from wackos and nutjobs–but for all their bluster, they are relatively few in number. In April 2015 Williams filed an official application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (see It’s Official: Williams Files with FERC for Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline). A major step in the approval process is to receive a favorable environmental impact statement (EIS) from FERC. That happened yesterday. FERC says that although there are “some impacts on the environment,” those impacts “would be reduced to less-than-significant levels” with proposed mitigation by Williams. This is really terrific news–an indication that FERC will grant final approval later this year or early next year…
    Read More “Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC”

  • | | | | | |

    Analyst Says Check Your History, Constitution Pipe Won’t Get Built

    Constitution Pipeline map
    Constitution Pipeline map – click for larger version

    An analyst with a Washington, D.C. policy and research firm believes that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent action in denying Williams stream crossing permits for the Constitution Pipeline means that project is dead. He cites another pipeline project from a decade ago–the Islander East project–that faced a similar situation. In the end, Islander East didn’t get built. He believes the same fate is in store for the Constitution. We sincerely hope he’s wrong and that FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) will “grow a pair” and not let Gov. Cuomo bully them. At its heart this is a battle over the trampling of federal authority. We find it curious that Obama and his sycophants throughout the government are hellbent on expanding federal authority over every aspect of our lives–from health care, to what we eat, to what forms of power we can use. And yet these same people stand by and are silent when a federal agency like FERC is emasculated by a state like NY. Of course it should be the opposite. This is one time when the federal government Constitutionally has the authority to act, and that authority has been illegally co-opted by a state. FERC needs to force the issue in court to overrule NY’s abuse of power. The analyst, however, doesn’t see it that way…
    Read More “Analyst Says Check Your History, Constitution Pipe Won’t Get Built”

  • | | |

    New Bill Trims PA Gov’s Control over Environmental Quality Board

    PA State Rep Cris Dush
    PA State Rep Cris Dush

    Republican members of the Pennsylvania legislature are tired of radical leftists like PA Gov. Tom Wolf and his Secretary of the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) John Quigley running environmental policies in the state like dictators. So they’re attempting to remove some of the power they have by changing the Environmental Quality Board (EQB). The EQB is part of the DEP. Its role is to adopt new regulations proffered by the DEP. Essentially it’s a watchdog to ensure new regulations don’t become too onerous. But the EQB has been co-opted by Quigley and Wolf–witness the recent EQB vote to adopt onerous new regulations by Quigley & co. known as Chapter 78 and 78a of PA’s oil and gas law (see PA Board Adopts New Drilling Regs, PIOGA Blasts DEP “Deceptive”). So PA State Rep. Chris Dush is about to float a new bill and is looking for co-sponsors of the bill, a bill that will remove the DEP Sec. as the Chairman of the Board for the EQB. It also expands membership of the board to 23 members (up from 20) and doubles the number of members appointed by the House and Senate from four to eight. In other words, it’s time to reshuffle the EQB deck and give the executive branch less of say on the board…
    Read More “New Bill Trims PA Gov’s Control over Environmental Quality Board”

  • | | | |

    South Fayette, PA Restrictive Drilling Ordinance Tossed by Judge

    court-gavel.jpgSomething noteworthy has happened in western Pennsylvania and (so far) local media has chosen not to cover it. So MDN is happy to break the following story about South Fayette Township in Allegheny County (near Pittsburgh). South Fayette is one of seven PA towns that sued the state after the Act 13 law was enacted in 2012 (see Lawsuit Filed: PA Towns Sue State over Marcellus Act 13 Law). Ultimately the towns won their case at the PA Supreme Court level, winning the right to enact their own ordinances with respect to oil and gas drilling. A nutty concept that towns have the necessary skills to regulate a complex industry like oil and gas–but there you go. Range Resources and landowners in the town, including Cuddy Partners, have had a long-running feud with the town over their hyper-restrictive ordinances (see Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article Drilling regulations face challenge in South Fayette). In 2015 South Fayette decided to revise their ordinance yet again with respect to shale drilling, making the ordinance even more restrictive than before. Cuddy Partners and Alpine Partners (landowners in the town) sued over the revised ordinance. The lawsuit alleged the ordinance was improperly enacted–rushed through without proper public notice. Last week Allegheny Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph James agreed and ruled that the South Fayette revised ordinance is “invalid, null and void”…
    Read More “South Fayette, PA Restrictive Drilling Ordinance Tossed by Judge”