Regulation

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Williams

Williams Asks FERC to Approve $610M Transco SE Pipeline Expansion
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

Previously MDN told you that Williams was holding an “open season” to gauge interest in expanding capacity on their Transco pipeline system to carry cheap Marcellus and Utica Shale natural gas from the northeast to the southeast (see Open Season to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA Marcellus). Drillers didn’t waste any time and the project is now “fully subscribed”–meaning all of the new increased capacity is now spoken for. So yesterday, Williams made a formal application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to expand the Transco–a project they call the Leidy Southeast expansion project.

Williams plans to spend $610 million, which includes laying 30 miles of new pipeline and upgrading compressor plants along the way…
Read More “Williams Asks FERC to Approve $610M Transco SE Pipeline Expansion”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

OH Antis Force Change in Chemical Reporting, Everyone Less Safe
September 30, 2013September 30, 2013

Ohio’s anti-drillers, in their zeal to needle the drilling industry, have just put everyone who lives near active drill sites at more risk than they once were. Following state law, drillers (until now) have filed a list of the chemicals they store and use for fracking with the Ohio Department of Environmental Resources (ODNR). Local first responders–police and firefighters–could then electronically retrieve that information from the ODNR website for any given well if an incident occurred, like a fire. But anti-drillers asked the federal government to intervene and that has now happened. The feds have said drillers must file paperwork listing the chemicals stored and used directly with local counties and municipalities.

Now, firefighters will have to haul out a paper file from some filing cabinet and rifle through it if there’s any kind of emergency–instead of using the much faster online version from ODNR. Congratulations Ohio anti-drillers! You’ve just made everyone in Ohio more unsafe…
Read More “OH Antis Force Change in Chemical Reporting, Everyone Less Safe”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP’s O&G Division Gets High Marks from Independent Review
September 30, 2013September 30, 2013

An independent, third-party peer review organization–State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc.–has given the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Oil and Gas Management a very close examination. What did they find? They found it to be “proficient” and “ready to address the increase in oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania.” The review gave the DEP high marks for the actions they’ve taken (and new regulations instituted) over the past two years under Gov. Tom Corbett.

DEP Acting Sec. Chris Abruzzo said this independent review proves that PA’s world class shale drilling is matched by world class oil and gas management and regulations…
Read More “PA DEP’s O&G Division Gets High Marks from Independent Review”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | XTO

Exclusive: MDN Interviews PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo
September 27, 2013September 27, 2013

MDN became aware that newly nominated (and currently Acting) Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, Chris Abruzzo, would be attending Shale Insight 2013. So we requested an interview with the Secretary, and he obliged! To our knowledge, we were the only media interview he granted during a brief walking around the show visit on Wednesday.

MDN editor Jim Willis asked Sec. Abruzzo some tough questions, including his take on the PA Attorney General’s criminal lawsuit against XTO (see PA AG Abuses Her Authority, Files Criminal Charges Against XTO); his biggest challenge since holding the office in April; how he responds to the charge that the DEP is sometimes too cozy with the drilling industry; an update on the DEP’s study of air quality near drilling sites and compressor stations (see DEP Marcellus Air Study in SW PA Extended Extra Half Year); and his response to John Hanger (former Secretary of the DEP) about his remarks that Abruzzo’s appointment was “bizarre and irresponsible”…
Read More “Exclusive: MDN Interviews PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Soil | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Pittsburgh Water-Testing Lab’s Certification Pulled, $60K Fine
September 27, 2013September 27, 2013

We don’t know if any Marcellus drillers in Pennsylvania were previously using Pittsburgh-based Microbac Laboratories to test water or soil for drilling purposes–but we do know they aren’t using them now. The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) investigated Microbac and found 50 violations at their Baltimore, Maryland lab. Microbac has voluntarily relinquished its accreditation and will pay a $60,000 fine. Ouch. They will also pay to have an independent third-party audit (i.e. someone will come in and tell them what they’re doing wrong)…
Read More “Pittsburgh Water-Testing Lab’s Certification Pulled, $60K Fine”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PennEnvironment Supports PA Dem Frack Ban Bill, Gins Up Report
September 25, 2013September 26, 2013

Editor’s Correction: We slipped up! The original version of this story contained a headline and introduction (below) that said PennFuture was the organization that issued the report. It was not. It was PennEnvironment. Our sincere apologies to PennFuture.

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In a pathetic attempt to give political cover to their anti-drilling collaborators in the PA legislature, yesterday anti-drilling group ~~PennFuture~~ PennEnvironment issued a so-called report that demands that Pennsylvania turn the lights out on fracking for shale gas–at least for now and the foreseeable future–until…we don’t know, just until. Until they say so.

Last week MDN told you about PA Democrats who decided to leap over the cliff hoping a net (of public support) would appear by introducing legislation to ban fracking in the state (see PA Dems Go Over the Cliff – Introduce Statewide Frack Ban Bill). Thunk. No net appeared and the Dems now face annihilation at the next election. So ~~PennFuture~~ PennEnvironment is attempting to throw out a lifeline with a ginned up “report” that supports a loony frack ban…
Read More “PennEnvironment Supports PA Dem Frack Ban Bill, Gins Up Report”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | TerrAqua Resource Mgmt | Washington County | Wastewater

TerrAqua a Half Step Closer to New Frack Wastewater Facility
September 25, 2013September 25, 2013

TerrAqua Resource Management wants to build a new frack wastewater recycling/treatment plant in Smith Township, Washington County, PA (see Hearing on Proposed TerrAqua Wastewater Recycling Facility in PA). A public hearing was held Monday night, which moves TerrAqua one step closer to gaining permission.

However, the Smith Township public hearing was not without its bumps for TerrAqua…
Read More “TerrAqua a Half Step Closer to New Frack Wastewater Facility”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY Asks Why Actors Couldn’t Keep Fracking Out of CA
September 25, 2013September 25, 2013

As MDN noted on Monday, California now has new fracking regulations signed into law by none other than Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown (see CA Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Bill into Law to Allow Fracking).

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) also noticed the CA vote and points out the irony of Hollywood actors who preen in New York State who claim that so far they’ve defeated fracking here, but who apparently couldn’t keep fracking from happening in their own state…
Read More “JLCNY Asks Why Actors Couldn’t Keep Fracking Out of CA”
Air Quality | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

New EPA Carbon Regulations Killing Coal & Our Country
September 24, 2013September 23, 2013

Once again the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proven it’s a rogue, out-of-control agency that needs to be reigned in–now. The EPA has just issued new emissions standards for power plants that will result in massive closures of coal-fired power plants (any volunteers for rolling brownouts?). What’s the big boogeyman they so desperately need to control? Carbon dioxide–the stuff you exhale with each breath. The flatulence that comes from the back-ends of every living mammal. The excuse the rogue EPA is using to “regulate” something that’s not a pollutant? The man-made global warming fairy tale–even though recent scientific evidence proves global warming isn’t happening and hasn’t been for the past 15 years! See Warming whoops: Scientists debate the falling rate of rising temperatures.

Enough is enough. Hopefully the Republicans in Congress will have the spine to stop this lunacy before it progresses any further…
Read More “New EPA Carbon Regulations Killing Coal & Our Country”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

CA Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Bill into Law to Allow Fracking
September 23, 2013September 23, 2013

Last Friday, California Gov. Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown signed Senate Bill 4 into law–a new law that allows fracking in the state. In less than a year California took up the fracking issue, investigated it, debated it, crafted new regulations, and passed it–with Democrats in charge. Credit where credit is due, so our hat is off to them.

New York’s fracking moratorium (and debate) is 5 years 2 months old as of today. We believe California’s actions (and the following article) speaks for itself. However, just so we’re clear on our reason for highlighting the California vote last Friday: New York is broken. Whose fault is it? The person sitting in the governor’s mansion…
Read More “CA Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Bill into Law to Allow Fracking”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | TerrAqua Resource Mgmt | Washington County | Wastewater

Hearing on Proposed TerrAqua Wastewater Recycling Facility in PA
September 23, 2013September 23, 2013

A potential new frack wastewater recycling/treatment plant is on the way in Washington County, PA. If it can get zoning approval from Smith Township. TerrAqua Resource Management has applied for a zoning variance that would it allow it to build a Marcellus Shale wastewater fluid recycling facility near the village of Bulger. The original application was turned down by Smith, but TerrAqua refiled for the variance.

No one (from TerrAqua nor the town) is talking about this new request ahead of a public hearing tonight…
Read More “Hearing on Proposed TerrAqua Wastewater Recycling Facility in PA”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Trumbull County

Niles, OH Votes to Lift Frack Ban One Month After Passing It
September 20, 2013September 20, 2013

Well that didn’t last long. One month after Niles, OH City Council voted to spite its face by cutting it’s nose off (i.e., voted to ban fracking), they’ve voted to lift the ban. Why? Because the ban language also bans businesses from selling to the drilling industry–including the city itself (situated in Trumbull County), which sells a lot of water for fracking (see Niles, OH Considers Vote to Rescind Ill-Advised Frack Ban for background).

On Wednesday, Niles City Council voted to lift the ban. Congratulations on wising up!…
Read More “Niles, OH Votes to Lift Frack Ban One Month After Passing It”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

3 New Bills Would Change PA’s 1979 Oil & Gas Lease Act
September 20, 2013September 20, 2013

On Monday, three new bills were introduced into the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that, if passed, will update the state’s 1979 Oil and Gas Lease Act. Two of the new bills were introduced by anti-drilling Rep. Jesse White–he of fake ID shame (see PA Rep. White Says Fake IDs were “Error in Judgment”).

A quick run-down on the proposed new bills and what they do:
Read More “3 New Bills Would Change PA’s 1979 Oil & Gas Lease Act”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Dems Go Over the Cliff – Introduce Statewide Frack Ban Bill
September 19, 2013September 19, 2013

Stupendously stupid and truly amazing, some Pennsylvania Democrats continue to push a statewide “open-ended” moratorium on shale drilling (in essence a ban). The party voted to adopt a ban as their official position at the statewide meeting in June (see PA Democrat Party Votes to End Marcellus Shale Drilling Statewide). Now, Democrat elected representatives have introduced a bill to do just that.

PA State Senator Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny) has just introduced Senate Bill 1100 which would institute an immediate ban (they call it a moratorium) on issuing new permits to drill until a 7-member panel can study it for “at least three to four years” and make a pronouncement about whether or not fracking is safe. Talk about insanity…
Read More “PA Dems Go Over the Cliff – Introduce Statewide Frack Ban Bill”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Highland Park, NJ First Town in State to Ban Fracking – So What
September 19, 2013September 19, 2013

Egged on by community agitators like the anti-drilling Food & Water Watch and Sierra Club, Highland Park, NJ just became the first municipality in the state to officially ban fracking. Big deal. There is no fracking in NJ right now, Highland Park is too populated to support fracking, and there’s nothing worth fracking under the land in Highland Park anyway. But don’t tell the ~~potheads~~ concerned citizens in the protest lines–they’re having too much fun protesting to be bothered with the facts…

Read More “Highland Park, NJ First Town in State to Ban Fracking – So What”
Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Eco Group Sues Health Dept/Shah to Release Frack Health Study
September 18, 2013September 18, 2013

MDN has made it plain we believe New York State Dept. of Health Commissioner Nirav Shah, who in February of this year said he was just “weeks away” from releasing the results of his research on the potential public health impacts of proposed new fracking rules from the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation, is covering for his boss, Gov. Andrew “Ditherer” Cuomo (see Cuomo Underling Shah: “No Timetable” on Fracking Decision). We on the pro-drilling side of the debate are not the only ones unhappy with the Cuomo/Shah marionette show.

This week an anti-drilling group from the Finger Lakes area–the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association–sued Shah and the Dept. of Health in an attempt to get the research documents finally released. The Association previously filed Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests in an effort to obtain the documents but Shah refused. Now the courts may finally force Andrew the Great Ditherer to finally get off his rear-end and make a decision by requiring Shah to release his findings…
Read More “NY Eco Group Sues Health Dept/Shah to Release Frack Health Study”