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Moxie Liberty Sells PA Electric Plant Project to Panda Power

Last October, Moxie Liberty LLC (i.e., Moxie Energy) of Vienna, VA applied for and received permission from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) to build Pennsylvania’s first new electric generation plant to use Marcellus Shale gas to power it (see PA DEP Approves 1st New Electric Plant to Use Marcellus Gas). The plant will be built in Bradford County, PA–the state’s most heavily drilled Marcellus county. However, Moxie will no longer build it. Word came yesterday that Moxie sold the project to Panda Power Funds of Dallas, TX. Henceforth the project will be called Panda Liberty.

Yesterday’s announcement from Panda Power Funds:
Read More “Moxie Liberty Sells PA Electric Plant Project to Panda Power”

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Bradford County, PA Landowners Sue Chesapeake over Royalties

About a month ago, MDN told you that a couple of Scranton-area lawyers were looking for landowners with Chesapeake Energy leases who believe they’re getting the short end of the royalty stick, to participate in a class action lawsuit against Chessy (see Some PA Landowners Mull Decision to Sue Chesapeake over Royalties). At issue is how royalties are calculated–what is considered to be a post-production cost. Some landowners say Chessy is claiming too many expenses and in the process shorting payments to them.

Some landowners in Bradford County, PA have decided to join the lawsuit:
Read More “Bradford County, PA Landowners Sue Chesapeake over Royalties”

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Rumor: Talisman Shopping Some of its PA Marcellus Acreage

MDN does not usually speculate on rumor, so the following may or may not be true (it’s fourth-hand information). However, we believe it’s important enough for landowners who may be potentially affected, that we’re willing to repeat the rumor–in the interest of giving PA landowners a heads-up…
Read More “Rumor: Talisman Shopping Some of its PA Marcellus Acreage”

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Bradford County Pair Convicted of Attempted Extortion of Driller

Two Bradford County, PA men thought they’d make a quick buck by attempting to shake down Cabot Oil & Gas with fraudulent claims that Cabot had certain “environmental violations” in their Marcellus Shale drilling program in Susquehanna County, PA. The men wanted hush money from Cabot to go away. Instead, Cabot turned them in. The men pleaded guilty and are now under house arrest and probation. Here’s the details as we know them:
Read More “Bradford County Pair Convicted of Attempted Extortion of Driller”

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Manufactured Controversy over Drilling in Loyalsock State Forest

A new manufactured “controversy” is being ginned up by PA Democrat officials and anti-drillers over Anadarko Petroleum’s plan to drill on land they legally own the mineral rights to—25,000 acres in Loyalsock State Forest that covers parts of Lycoming, Sullivan and Bradford counties in PA. Here’s the first time we’ve heard this phrase: The forest contains a “critical bird nursery.” I mean, who could possibly drill in a nursery? Drilling will also happen underneath part of the Old Logger’s Path—not the New Logger’s Path, not the Plain and Simple Logger’s path, but the Old Logger’s Path. And drilling may include portions of the exceptional value stream known as Rock Run. We wonder, are other streams unexceptional? And (OMG!) it may include the lumber ghost town of Masten. DO NOT disturb ghosts—they don’t like it.

Isn’t language in an anti-drilling demagogue’s hands a marvel to behold?…

[Please see an update/note at the end of this article.]

Read More “Manufactured Controversy over Drilling in Loyalsock State Forest”

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Army Corps of Engineers Approves Pipeline in Delaware River Basin

Good news for drillers, landowners and consumers who want to see more low-cost Marcellus Shale gas flowing to East Coast markets. On March 22, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers green lighted Tennessee Gas Company’s Northeast Upgrade pipeline project to cross wetlands (i.e. swamps), rivers and streams in the Delaware River watershed. Hooray! The Corps didn’t cave to eco-nut, anti-progress pressure.

The details on where the new extensions are being built:

Read More “Army Corps of Engineers Approves Pipeline in Delaware River Basin”

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Support from 2 Prominent Pennsylvanians for Fracking in NY

MDN wasn’t the only one to note the very loud, in-your-face editorial by former PA Gov. Ed Rendell printed in yesterday’s New York Daily News (see Former PA Gov. Rendell to Gov. Cuomo: Get Fracking). Karen Moreau, executive director of the NY State Petroleum Council, released the following statement yesterday noting Rendell’s support for fracking in New York, along with the support from a hospital administrator of a hospital that sits in the middle of the most-drilled county in PA (Bradford):

Read More “Support from 2 Prominent Pennsylvanians for Fracking in NY”

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Eureka Resources Building PA’s Biggest Marcellus Wastewater Plant

Eureka Resources currently operates a Marcellus Shale wastewater treatment facility in Williamsport, PA that processes 8,000 barrels of wastewater per day. The company announced today it is building a new, second facility near Towanda, PA. The new plant will have the capacity to treat up to 10,000 barrels of wastewater per day. Target completion date is October of this year…

Read More “Eureka Resources Building PA’s Biggest Marcellus Wastewater Plant”

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Air Pollution Goes Up in Some PA Counties from Marcellus Drilling

Yesterday MDN reported the story that air pollution in Pennsylvania overall has gone done significantly from 2008 to 2011 due to the increased use of Marcellus Shale gas now being mined and used (see “Thank You for Fracking” – Air Pollution Goes Down in PA). The reason air pollution has gone down is mainly due to the switch away from burning coal to burning natural gas.

However, closer analysis of the data (MDN has not been able to get a copy of the full report—yet) shows that in PA counties with a lot of shale drilling, certain kinds of air pollution went up during that period even though the state average went down. Why? Mainly because of (we’re guessing) the increased use of diesel engines used in the equipment operating at drill sites and from the large number of trucks coming and going to drill sites. Compressor plant emissions also contribute to the increase.

Read More “Air Pollution Goes Up in Some PA Counties from Marcellus Drilling”

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Northeast PA Convenience Store Chain Installs CNG Pumps

In what seems to be a flood of news about CNG (compressed natural gas) filling stations popping up for vehicles, a convenience store chain in the Marcellus-rich area of northeastern PA is in the process of installing CNG filling pumps at three (so far) of it’s 70 stores in PA and NY.

One of the three locations—Towanda (Bradford County), PA—is having its “grand opening” today, but the new pump has already been operating for about month. Towanda is the very first public CNG filling location in northern PA:

Read More “Northeast PA Convenience Store Chain Installs CNG Pumps”

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Updated Study: Marcellus Drilling Economic Benefits in NE PA

Several colleges in northeast Pennsylvania including Keystone College, King’s College, Luzerne County Community College, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, University of Scranton and Wilkes University belong to, support and form an organization called the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development. In 2008 the Institute published a study comparing economic and demographic changes of three shale plays in three specific areas of three shale plays: the Barnett, the Fayettville and the Marcellus.

The purpose of the original study was to show what may lie ahead in northeast PA should it follow a similar track to the then far more mature shale plays in the South and Southwest. The Institute has just released an update to the original study in a new report titled “A Review of Changes in Selected Economic & Demographic Indicators in Particular Counties in the Barnett, Fayetteville and Marcellus Shale Play” (embedded below). Wow, what a difference four years makes! The Marcellus in many ways has eclipsed the Barnett and Fayettville and continues to grow. But has that growth translated into good things in northeast PA? That’s the question asked and answered in this latest update by the Institute.

Read More “Updated Study: Marcellus Drilling Economic Benefits in NE PA”

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PA DEP Approves 1st New Electric Plant to Use Marcellus Gas

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) yesterday issued a permit for the first new electrical power generating plant to be built in the state that uses clean burning Marcellus Shale gas. The new plant will be built in Bradford County over the next 2-3 years. During construction the project will employ up to 500 people.

The details from the DEP:

Read More “PA DEP Approves 1st New Electric Plant to Use Marcellus Gas”

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Bradford County, PA Landowners – $160M in Royalties (So Far)

Listen up New York State: Bradford County, which borders Tioga and Chemung counties in New York, has generated $160 million in natural gas royalty payments to landowners—so far. There’s much more to come.

Here’s the low-down on drilling in Bradford County:

Read More “Bradford County, PA Landowners – $160M in Royalties (So Far)”

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PA PUC Issues more Advisories for Act 13 Zoning Violations

It’s full speed ahead for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) when it comes to evaluating whether (or not) local zoning ordinances violate portions of the new Act 13 drilling law, thereby making those local municipalities ineligible to receive impact fees.

But wait, isn’t there a case in PA Supreme Court that will be heard in October about the constitutionality of the zoning provisions of Act 13? Indeed there is. So how can the PUC push forward with evaluating zoning ordinances that have been ruled unconstitutional by lower courts? Good question.

Read More “PA PUC Issues more Advisories for Act 13 Zoning Violations”

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AP Says PA DEP Sec. Krancer Wrong about Methane in Leroy Twp

The Associated Press, true to form, continues to take pot shots at hydraulic fracturing whenever it can. In reporting on methane leakage from drilling in Leroy Township, Pennsylvania (see this MDN story for background), the AP breathlessly reports “the problem still isn’t fixed even though PA DEP Sec. Michael Krancer says it’s fixed, so there!” Not in those exact words, but that’s the sum total of their latest drive-by article on fracking in PA.

Read More “AP Says PA DEP Sec. Krancer Wrong about Methane in Leroy Twp”