Allegheny County

Allegheny County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

She Speaks! Teresa Heinz Kerry Talks re Endowments Firings, CSSD
October 28, 2013October 28, 2013

The autocratic tendencies of liberals are amusing (and scary) to watch. Case in point: Teresa Heinz Kerry, chairwoman of the Heinz Endowments. Kerry finally addressed the issue of the Heinz Endowments firing three high profile employees, including the Endowments’ president Bobby Vagt (see Bobby Vagt Out as Pres of Heinz Endowments – Fracking Connection?).

While refusing to be completely forthcoming, Kerry was forthcoming enough to confirm what we already suspected: the Heinz boys and mommy dearest didn’t like the Endowments getting into bed with the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). Pay close attention to what Kerry does and does not say in the following article. MDN snarky commentary included [in brackets]…
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Allegheny County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Back from the Chesapeake Dead: David Spigelmyer Takes Helm at MSC
October 22, 2013October 22, 2013

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), the premier organization representing the Marcellus drilling industry in Pennsylvania and beyond, has named a new leader. Since the organization’s founding in late 2009 it has been led by the very talented Kathryn Klaber. In a surprise announcement in July, Katie said she would be stepping down from her post (see Kathryn Klaber Stepping Down as CEO of Marcellus Shale Coalition). She has big shoes to fill. So who will fill them?

David Spigelmyer has become the new CEO of the MSC effective this week. David’s name may be familiar. Until August of this year he was chairman of the executive board for the MSC. He was on the board representing Chesapeake Energy, one of the largest drillers in the Marcellus. Then Chessy’s new CEO Doug Lawler swung his ax…
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Allegheny County | Pennsylvania

South Fayette, PA Gets First Marcellus Permit Application
October 18, 2013October 18, 2013

South Fayette township in Allegheny County, PA (near Pittsburgh) is one of seven PA towns that sued the state after the Act 13 law was enacted last year, in 2012 (see Lawsuit Filed: PA Towns Sue State over Marcellus Act 13 Law). Their beef? Act 13 took away the right of local municipalities like South Fayette to apply their own zoning rules to oil and gas drilling. Act 13 substituted a statewide uniform standard, replacing a patchwork crazy quilt situation where each town did something different. The state says their rules are uniform, strict and fair–developed by people who know what they’re doing in the complex business of oil and gas drilling. The towns say they know their own towns best and where a well should and should not be drilled. A final outcome to the case is still pending before the PA Supreme Court (see Should the Full 7-Member PA Supreme Court Re-Hear Act 13 Case?).

During the appeals process, South Fayette developed a bit of a persecution complex (see South Fayette, PA Accuses PUC of Persecuting Them over Act 13). The town has been very effective in shutting out drilling (dare we say they’re anti-drilling?). According to MDN’s own Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook series, South Fayette has had zero drilling permit applications filed from at least 2011 to the present. That is, until now…
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Allegheny County | Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Washington County | Westmoreland County

Pittsburgh Summit: Marcellus the WD-40 of SW PA Rustbelt Economy
October 8, 2013October 8, 2013

Yesterday a group of manufacturing and labor leaders gathered at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers headquarters on Pittsburgh’s South Side to talk about the creation of more manufacturing jobs in the greater Pittsburgh area–specifically about how Marcellus Shale is changing the landscape and is a tremendous jobs creator in the region. Several publications attended and each put their own angle on what was said at the meeting.

MDN picks through the stories to bring you the bits and pieces we found interesting–news about how the Marcellus is changing the picture in southwest PA and beyond. One of those interesting tidbits: the chairman of the PA Public Utility Commission said Marcellus Shale gas has been responsible for power prices dropping an average 52% across the state–for everyone. Incredible! And a comparison between the Marcellus and WD-40…
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Allegheny County | Chevron | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania

Chevron Wins 1st Approval for New Regional HQ Near Pittsburgh
September 20, 2013September 20, 2013

In May MDN told you about Chevron’s purchase of a 61-acre site in the suburbs of Pittsburgh where they plan to build a huge, 350,000 square foot office complex that will be home to 1,750 people when it’s done (see Chevron to Build New (Big) Regional HQ in Pittsburgh Suburb). It is an important sign that Chevron is committed–in a big way–to the Marcellus and Utica Shale.

On Wednesday the Chevron project moved one step closer to reality when Moon Township officials gave it their thumbs up…
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Allegheny County | Housing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Washington County | Westmoreland County

Marcellus Shale Causes Housing Prices in SW PA to Go Up
September 19, 2013September 19, 2013

One of the oft-repeated lies by anti-drillers is that shale drilling causes property values to tank. “No one wants to live near active drill sites with truck traffic and water contamination,” is what they say. Never mind that once the drilling is done (within a few months) the trucks are gone–and there is no water contamination. But still, perception is reality in this Alice-in-Wonderland time in which we live.

However, the realty reality in southwestern Pennsylvania, a very active Marcellus Shale drilling area, puts to bed the “lowers property value” lie by those who want to stop drilling. According to a Realtor from the RealtyTrac Network, sales of homes in SW PA are way up (12.5% per year), and property values are increasing throughout the region–by 2-4% annually. In other words, it’s a red-hot sellers market in SW PA. Why? You guessed it: the Marcellus Shale…
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Allegheny County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Pittsburgh Dem Proposes Ban on Drilling in County Parks
September 16, 2013September 16, 2013

Should counties allow shale drilling to take place in or under county parks? It’s a politically charged issue, that’s for sure. Some political leaders, instead of facing the issue head-on, try to “kick the can down the road” and delay the discussion for years.

In a surprise editorial, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette takes liberal Democrat Councilwoman Barbara Daly Danko (Allegheny County) to task for proposing to delay discussion and debate about this important issue. Last week she introduced a bill that would ban drilling in Allegheny County parks until 2017. The PPG says it’s not necessary and makes a decision that much harder later on…
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Allegheny County | CONSOL Energy | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

NIMBY Town to Provide Water for Fracking at Pittsburgh Airport
August 30, 2013August 30, 2013

Two towns located near the Pittsburgh Airport are set to make big money from the drilling that will happen at the airport–even though the drilling is not within their own boundaries. How? They’re going to sell water to CONSOL Energy to be used for fracking 47 wells at the airport–up to 300 million gallons of water.

One of the towns selling water, Findlay, recently approved three new shale wells in the town–the first three to be drilled there (see Findlay Twp, PA Approves First 3 Marcellus Wells, Range to Drill). Findlay’s approval of Marcellus wells indicates they are favorable to shale drilling. The second town that will sell water for fracking at the airport, Moon Township, is not so favorable toward fracking. Last December the Moon Board of Supervisors voted to ban drilling in 75% of the their town (see Moon Twp, PA Votes to Ban Fracking in 75% of the Town). We find it interesting that a town that leans against drilling is willing to sell water for drilling–as long as the drilling is not in their backyard…

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Allegheny County | Chesapeake Energy | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Marcellus Shale Coalition Gets New Chairman of the Board
August 29, 2013August 29, 2013

It appears that Chesapeake CEO Doug Lawler’s massive firings throughout the company (no doubt demanded by corporate raider and Chessy board member Carl Ichan) have not only affected Chesapeake itself, but also the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC)–the premier group representing the drilling industry in Pennsylvania and the entire Marcellus region.

The chairman of the board of directors at the MSC had been David Spigelmyer, VP of government relations for Chesapeake. Spigelmyer is now gone from Chesapeake and gone from the board of the MSC. In his place, the board has appointed the current vice chairman, Randy Albert, COO of CNX Gas, to be chairman until Spigelmyer’s term was due to end in November…
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Allegheny County | CONSOL Energy | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

CONSOL Energy Reveals Drilling Plan for Pittsburgh Airport
August 28, 2013August 28, 2013

CONSOL Energy and Pittsburgh Airport officials held a joint press conference yesterday to share more of the details for CONSOL’s plan to drill on airport-owned property. You may recall the airport authority signed a deal with CONSOL in February of this year, netting the airport a nifty check for $50 million as the signing bonus (see $50M Check in the Mail: Pittsburgh Airport Lease a Done Deal). However, the signing bonus is just an hors d’oeuvre. All done and told–after receiving royalties for years to come–the airport expects the project to bring in a staggering $1 billion or more.

The proposed drilling plan (see the map below) calls for 6 well pads, 47 Marcellus Shale wells on those pads (with the possibility of drilling Upper Devonian wells later on), three fresh water ponds (“impoundments”) and 17 miles of gathering pipelines. CONSOL said that seismic testing in and around the airport property will begin in late October of this year, however, the first test wells will not be drilled until third quarter of 2014…
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Allegheny County | Pennsylvania

Babst Calland Ranked Top Energy Law Firm in Pittsburgh Area
August 27, 2013August 27, 2013

MDN congratulates the Babst Calland law firm for being ranked the number one energy law firm in the greater Pittsburgh region as measured by number of practicing energy attorneys (they have 70 in Pittsburgh). Babst Calland writes one of our favorite law blogs–ShaleEnergyLawBlog.com.

Well done, and well deserved! We’ve included the top 10 below…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Bad News: EQT Sues 70 Landowners Using New PA Forced Pooling Law
August 1, 2013

The recently signed Pennsylvania Royalty Bill SB259 provides extra transparency for landowners in how royalties are calculated, but it also introduces forced pooling for some landowners with old, pre-Marcellus leases (see PA Gov Corbett Signs Back-Door Forced Pooling Bill into Law). As MDN and landowner groups like the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO) feared, this legislation is now being used against landowners. Earlier this week, EQT Corp. used the new law to sue 70 landowners to force them to allow EQT to get on their land to conduct survey work for future drilling on or under the land. Bye bye negotiations. Bye bye fairness. Hello steamroller.

This lawsuit is bad news for PA landowners and bad news for pro-drilling Gov. Tom Corbett who mouthed platitudes that this type of thing would not happen when he signed it into law…
Read More “Bad News: EQT Sues 70 Landowners Using New PA Forced Pooling Law”
Allegheny County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Pennsylvania

George Soros Plays Both Sides of Fracking Issue, for Profit
June 28, 2013June 28, 2013

You’ve got to hand it to George Soros–the guy has chutzpah. In case you don’t know who George Soros is, he’s an 82 year-old super-investor (think Warren Buffet) whose investments at last check were worth $9.5 billion. Soros was convicted of insider trading in 2005. He’s also accused of causing “Black Wednesday” in 1992 when his currency manipulation schemes precipitated a worldwide economic crisis. Soros essentially owns the Democrat party in the United States–he’s one of the (perhaps the) biggest contributors to their coffers. He’s a socialist (which used to be a bad word before Obama). His politics are slightly left of Attila the Hun.

Soros is also linked to the nefarious anti-drilling Public Accountability Initiative (see Soros-backed PAI Makes University of Texas Look Foolish). But what’s this? Two of the top five companies that Soros currently invests in are…wait for it…shale drillers! That’s right. Soros funds anti-drillers (PAI, the Democrat party, who knows what else) and at the same time invests in what he knows is the biggest energy bonanza that will happen during the rest of his lifetime. It’s kind of like those sleazy weapons manufacturers that sell to both sides of a war in a third world country.

So, which two drillers are in the Soros top five? One of them is a major Marcellus driller…
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Allegheny County | Armstrong County | Butler County | Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Indiana County | Industrywide Issues | NiSource | PennEnergy Resources | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Westmoreland County | XTO

NiSource Big Pine Gathering Pipeline Goes Online in SW PA
June 19, 2013June 19, 2013

NiSource and Columbia Pipeline Group announced yesterday their new Big Pine Gathering System is now online and running in PA’s Marcellus Shale. Big Pine is a 57-mile pipeline gathering system serving southwestern PA: Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland counties. NiSource has a long-term contract with XTO Energy to deliver XTO’s natural gas to three different pipeline transmission systems. In addition to XTO, NiSource recently signed PennEnergy Resources as another customer for the new pipeline.

Details from the NiSource press release:
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Allegheny County | Pennsylvania

Shale Drilling Under (Gasp!) Allegheny County, PA Parks?
June 18, 2013June 18, 2013

Is shale drilling coming to an Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh area) park near you? Maybe. Drilling likely won’t involve putting a rig in a park, but instead on land situated near a park–where a number of rigs are already located.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald is investigating the possibility of leasing the land under county parks for shale drilling, to help with $100 million in deferred park maintenance and improve the “deplorable conditions” at some of the parks…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

Findlay Twp, PA Approves First 3 Marcellus Wells, Range to Drill
May 9, 2013May 9, 2013

Findlay Township (Allegheny County, PA, west of Pittsburgh) approved its first three Marcellus Shale wells at a meeting last night. Supervisors voted unanimously (3-0) to let Range Resources to drill on Clinton-Frankfort Road…

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