Allegheny County 33 - Marcellus Drilling News

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:

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:

New Compressed Natural Gas Filling Station Opens in Pittsburgh – How Does $1.85 per Gallon (Gas Equivalent) Sound?

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011

Giant Eagle, a grocery and convenience store chain with 222 stores in western PA, Ohio and West Virginia, has just opened the first of three compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations in the Pittsburgh area. The company is planning to replace its entire truck fleet (over 200 trucks) with CNG trucks in the coming years. The best part: How does paying $1.85 a gasoline-equivalent gallon grab you? Yes, CNG vehicles cost more (and right now only Honda in the U.S. makes one), but as the infrastructure is built, more auto manufacturers are likely to start making CNG vehicles.

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Collier Township, PA Officials Pass New Conditional-Use Ordinance Restricting Marcellus Shale Drilling

May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

On Wednesday, commissioners for Collier Township (Allegheny County), PA approved a new conditional-use Marcellus Shale drilling ordinance which restricts drilling in the Township:

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Etna, PA Illegal Ban on Marcellus Shale Drilling to End Soon

May 5, 2011May 5, 2011

The borough of Etna, PA, located in Allegheny County (near Pittsburgh) plans to reverse its ban on Marcellus Shale drilling in the borough. The original ban is illegal according to Pennsylvania state law.

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Ohio Township, PA Supervisors Pass Ordinance to Restrict Marcellus Shale Drilling Activities

May 3, 2011May 3, 2011

Supervisors in Ohio Township (Allegheny County), PA last night voted to approve an ordinance that places restrictions on Marcellus Shale drilling in the Township. According to Township Solicitor Mike Witherel, the previous ordinance, passed in 2003, placed no restrictions on drilling. The new ordinance puts in place common sense restrictions on drilling activities.

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Western PA Township Votes to Require Permits for Marcellus Shale Drilling

April 20, 2011

Crescent Township in Allegheny County, PA (in the Pittsburgh area), will now require all Marcellus Shale drilling companies to file for a permit before they can drill on any property in the Township.
Read More “Western PA Township Votes to Require Permits for Marcellus Shale Drilling”

PA DEP, Marcellus Shale Coalition Admit Drilling Wastewater Likely Contaminating Drinking Water

April 19, 2011

There are 15 (of an original 27) municipal sewage treatment plants in Pennsylvania that still accept Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater. That is, until May 19 of this year.

Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Energy US | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania

Marcellus Drilling in ACORD Municipal Park (Allegheny County, PA) Voted Down by Local Councils

April 14, 2011April 14, 2011

The Avonworth Municipal Authority in Allegheny County, PA recently signed a five-year drilling lease for the ACORD Municipal Park property controlled by the Authority (see the MDN story here). However, the deal was contingent on four of the five municipalities that oversee the 119-acre park in Kilbuck and Ohio Townships. Last night Emsworth council was the second municipality to vote against the measure and so the deal will not go forward.

Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Energy US | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania

Municipal Authority in Western PA Signs Drilling Lease for 119 Acre Park

April 8, 2011April 8, 2011

The Avonworth Municipal Authority in Allegheny County, PA (near Pittsburgh) has just signed a five-year drilling lease for park property controlled by the Authority.

Allegheny County | Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Jobs Up, Housing Prices Up, Bankruptcies Down – Why? Hydraulic Fracturing

March 30, 2011March 30, 2011

Although the entire U.S. remains mired in slow growth, perhaps even a double-dip recession, there are places in the country that are seeing rapid job and economic growth. One of those places is the Bakken Oil fields of North Dakota. Another place is Pittsburgh. Why have those two areas seen such growth and economic prosperity? Hydraulic fracturing. In the case of North Dakota, it’s hydraulic fracturing of oil wells. In the Pittsburgh area, it’s hydraulic fracturing of Marcellus Shale gas wells.

Below is an recent email sent by PittsburghTODAY speaking about Pittsburgh’s economic comeback:

Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Attend (or Watch Online) a Free Public Debate: “Should Pittsburgh Permit Marcellus Shale Drilling?”

March 29, 2011March 29, 2011

MDN received the following press release about a Marcellus Shale debate that will be held in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 6th. The debate will be in the classical forensic style of debating where each side gets a certain amount of time to make it’s arguments and to respond to the opposition’s arguments. Should be an interesting event!

From the release:

Allegheny County | Greene County (PA) | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

Anti-Drilling Groups Planning Federal Lawsuit to Try and Stop Drilling in Western PA

March 11, 2011March 11, 2011

Those who oppose drilling in Pennsylvania are changing tactics and are now turning to the court system to try and stop drilling:

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

Pittsburgh City Council President Refers to Marcellus Shale Drillers as “Dogs” – Threatens Upriver Municipalities with “Toxic Trespass”

March 3, 2011March 3, 2011

Pittsburgh City Councilman and Council President Doug Shields (Democrat-District 5) was the driving force behind legislation passed late last year that banned drilling for Marcellus Shale gas inside city limits. Energy companies hold leases on 362 acres, or 1 percent, of land in the city proper. Shields worked with the environmentalist and anti-drilling law firm Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund to craft that legislation.

It seems that recent stories from The New York Times about potential wastewater contamination are an opportunity too good to “waste” for Councilman Shields.

Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

Pittsburgh to Test for Radioactivity in City Water Supplies, Wastewater Scare Continues

March 3, 2011March 3, 2011

The fallout from The New York Times series of articles claiming radioactive contamination from Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater is finding its way into water supplies continues:

Allegheny County | Pennsylvania

7 Percent of Allegheny County (PA) Now Under Lease for Natural Gas Drilling, But Permits Indicate Little Drilling

February 28, 2011February 28, 2011

In an article on the developing situation of whether and where to allow Marcellus Shale drilling in Allegheny County, PA, we get this update of how much land has been leased, and the likelihood of whether or not drilling will commence in the county: