Allegheny County

Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation

South Fayette, PA First Town Challenged Under Act 13
August 22, 2012August 22, 2012

Pennsylvania towns that have ordinances conflicting with the new state drilling law known as Act 13 run the risk of not receiving their portion of a new impact fee being collected by the state—unless they revise their laws to not conflict with Act 13. The first town to be challenged under this provision is South Fayette, in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh area). A resident of South Fayette wrote to the Public Utility Commission (PUC), the agency charged with policing compliance with Act 13, to complain that several town ordinances violate Act 13.

Read More “South Fayette, PA First Town Challenged Under Act 13”
Allegheny County | Education | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh College – Certificate in Energy Land Administration
July 30, 2012July 30, 2012

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) in Pittsburgh has developed a new certificate program in Land Administration in cooperation with drilling company EQT Corp. Land administrators make an average annual salary of $60,000 and work in an energy company’s land records, division orders or contracts area to protect the company’s oil and gas assets (leases, rights-of-way and wells).

Read More “Pittsburgh College – Certificate in Energy Land Administration”
Allegheny County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

South Fayette School Passes on Offer from Range Resources
March 29, 2012March 29, 2012

The South Fayette School District in South Fayette Township (Allegheny County), PA has decided to pass on an offer from Range Resources to transfer a Marcellus Shale drilling lease previously signed with Chesapeake Energy.

Read More “South Fayette School Passes on Offer from Range Resources”
Allegheny County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Superior Appalachian Pipeline

New Compressor Station Near Pittsburgh Hits Opposition
March 29, 2012March 29, 2012

Superior Appalachian Pipeline LLC has filed for a permit to construct a new compressor station in northern Allegheny County, PA (near Pittsburgh):

Read More “New Compressor Station Near Pittsburgh Hits Opposition”
Allegheny County | Butler County | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Washington County

Dry Gas Drilling Slowdown Results in Layoffs in PA
March 6, 2012March 6, 2012

Although historically low natural gas prices are great for consumers, it’s not so great for some in the shale gas drilling industry. Because drillers are changing their focus away from drilling in the “dry gas” areas of the Marcellus Shale play and instead focusing on the “wet gas”—or liquids-rich—portion of the play, it causes a slow down for some businesses and leads to layoffs in certain industries, like title searching. Title searches of property deeds are a necessary part of acquiring leases for drilling.

A title search company in western PA has just laid off nearly half of their staff:

Read More “Dry Gas Drilling Slowdown Results in Layoffs in PA”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

New PA Marcellus Law Does What Local Towns Wanted All Along
March 1, 2012March 1, 2012

Pennsylvania recently passed new Marcellus Shale drilling regulations (see this MDN story). One of the loudest objections to its adoption is a provision that state law will now mostly override local zoning ordinances designed to regulate and restrict drilling. The cry went up that Harrisburg does not know better than local municipalities where and how to control drilling in their local areas.

But municipalities are finding out the new law does exactly what they wanted to do locally all along—prevent drilling in more urban and sensitive areas. That’s what Etna, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh, has discovered.

Read More “New PA Marcellus Law Does What Local Towns Wanted All Along”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

DOE Sec. Chu Goes to Pittsburgh, Promotes Shale Gas Drilling
February 10, 2012February 10, 2012

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Steven Chu, visited Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Part of his visit was to (sort of) promote shale gas drilling. Among other things, Mr. Chu said hydraulic fracturing can be done “in an environmentally responsible way.”

Read More “DOE Sec. Chu Goes to Pittsburgh, Promotes Shale Gas Drilling”
Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

McKeesport Settles Lawsuit for Treating Fracking Wastewater
January 25, 2012January 25, 2012

A lawsuit against the City of McKeesport, PA (near Pittsburgh) for treating fracking wastewater has been settled. McKeesport was hauled into federal court last year by two activist anti-drilling organizations—Clean Water Action and Three Rivers Waterkeeper—to force the McKeesport municipal sewage treatment plant to not accept fracking wastewater for treatment at the plant (read the background in this MDN story).

Read More “McKeesport Settles Lawsuit for Treating Fracking Wastewater”
Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Pittsburgh Councilman’s Last Attempt at Toxic Trespass Law
December 23, 2011December 23, 2011

In one last metaphorical flip of the middle finger to the Marcellus drilling industry, outgoing Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields is trying to get his “toxic trespass” legislation adopted by City Council before Dec. 31.

Read More “Pittsburgh Councilman’s Last Attempt at Toxic Trespass Law”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Pittsburgh Councilman Introduces “Toxic Trespass” Legislation
November 15, 2011November 15, 2011

Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields has been a tireless anti-drilling crusader (see previous MDN stories here). Fortunately, he leaves office at the end of December—he didn’t run for re-election. But before he goes, he wants to take one parting shot at the drilling industry.

Yesterday, Mr. Shields introduced “toxic trespass” legislation, which is designed to try and stop drilling in other locations by inferring they may release chemicals into the environment that will find their way to Pittsburgh via rivers and streams and therefore Pittsburgh will sue them out of existence if they get even a whiff of something they don’t like. Nice way to go out Doug…

Read More “Pittsburgh Councilman Introduces “Toxic Trespass” Legislation”
Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion

Occupy Pittsburgh Protests Marcellus Shale…All 12 of Them
November 2, 2011November 2, 2011

It seems more and more that anti-drillers who need bodies for protests are turning to the Occupy malcontents, who seem to be willing to protest anything, especially things they don’t understand. That is, if you can get them out of bed…

Read More “Occupy Pittsburgh Protests Marcellus Shale…All 12 of Them”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Forest Hills, PA May Adopt Fracking Ban
September 22, 2011September 22, 2011

Forest Hills, PA Council members are supporting a ban on Marcellus gas drilling within their borders. Forest Hills is a small borough in Allegheny County, PA with a population of 6,500. A petition with 275 signatures requesting a ban was delivered to Council members and apparently 4 percent of residents is close enough to a majority for Forest Hills elected representatives to take immediate action.

Read More “Forest Hills, PA May Adopt Fracking Ban”
Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation

Range Resources Fights PA Town Ordinance, Threatens Lawsuit
August 17, 2011August 17, 2011

Range Resources, one of the largest Marcellus Shale drillers in Pennsylvania, and the first to sink a Marcellus well in the state in 2003, is pushing back against what it calls “death by a thousand paper cuts” – townships imposing their own regulations on drilling that result in a de facto ban on drilling. Range has just filed an appeal with the zoning hearing board in South Fayette (Allegheny County), PA challenging the township’s zoning regulations prohibiting drilling. Range says if the hearing board does not reverse course, it will take the township to court. A copy of Range’s 35-page challenge filed with the hearing board is embedded below.

UPDATE: Also embedded below is a full copy of the drilling ordinance passed by South Fayette Township in 2010. Thank you to MDN reader Josh Whetzel for suggesting we include it with this article.

Read More “Range Resources Fights PA Town Ordinance, Threatens Lawsuit”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Proposed Pittsburgh Permanent Drilling Ban May Not be Legal
August 4, 2011August 4, 2011

Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields, who will soon be leaving office, is staunchly anti-drilling. He led the successful effort to have hydraulic fracturing and shale gas drilling banned in the City of Pittsburgh. The ban was enacted by City Council last November. Now that Mr. Shields has landed on the happy shores of no drilling, he wants to burn the ships to ensure future Council members can’t undo all of his good work. His method? Amend the City’s Home Rule Charter to permanently ban drilling anywhere in the city limits.

Mr. Shields has proposed a measure be put on the ballot in November to let voters decide if the Charter should be amended. There’s just one small problem: It’s probably not legal.

Read More “Proposed Pittsburgh Permanent Drilling Ban May Not be Legal”
Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

PA Environmentalist Groups Try to Make a Federal Case Against McKeesport Sewage Treatment Plant over Marcellus Wastewater
July 20, 2011July 20, 2011

Two activist environmental organizations, Clean Water Action and Three Rivers Waterkeeper, are attempting to make a federal case against the McKeesport (Allegheny County) municipal sewage treatment plant that in the past has accepted hydraulic fracturing wastewater because the plant won’t categorically commit to never accepting fracking wastewater again. Here’s the very confusing setup from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Read More “PA Environmentalist Groups Try to Make a Federal Case Against McKeesport Sewage Treatment Plant over Marcellus Wastewater”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Pittsburgh Councilman Doug Shields Lobbies to Get Drilling Ban Added to City’s Charter
July 20, 2011July 20, 2011

Pittsburgh, PA enacted an ordinance banning hydraulic fracturing and Marcellus gas drilling some eight months ago. Leading the charge against drilling was city Councilman Doug Shields (Democrat-District 5). Now Mr. Shields is concerned that once he’s gone from office, future city councils may waver in their anti-drilling commitment and may repeal the ban, so he wants to enshrine the ban in the city’s charter:

Read More “Pittsburgh Councilman Doug Shields Lobbies to Get Drilling Ban Added to City’s Charter”