Statewide PA

Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Let’s Slap 5% Tax on ALL PA Natural Resources, Not Just Shale Gas
January 19, 2015January 19, 2015

One of Pennsylvania’s top conservative (Republican) strategists and consultants, Charlie Gerow, offers up a sobering picture of the hard work ahead for liberal/leftist Gov.-Elect Tom Wolf when, on Wednesday, he assumes office and we drop the “-Elect” part in his title. Gerow points out that Wolf got elected by offering few specifics about his plans to raise taxes, except for a tax on the Marcellus Shale–he was crystal clear on that. When Wolf assumes office on Wednesday, all of his campaign prevaricating comes to an end and he will have to start offering real proposals for big problems. Gerow evaluates the prospects for a Wolf severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas this way:
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA | Wastewater

PA DEP Completes Fracking Radiation Study, Concludes “Little Harm”
January 16, 2015January 16, 2015

We love it when we get to close a loop–especially this one. Exactly two years ago the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, under then Secretary Mike Krancer, embarked on what would become a two-year, top to bottom, “thorough and rigorous” study of radiation in shale drilling (see PA DEP Announces New Study of Radiation in Shale Drilling). That is, they would use real science to figure out whether we will all, as the anti-drillers claim, begin to glow in the dark from exposure to radiation in wastewater, radiation in drill cuttings and radiation in “fracked gas” as they frequently prattle on about. The 200-page study is complete and we have a copy (below). What did the DEP conclude in their “peer reviewed” study? “There is little potential for harm to workers or the public from radiation exposure due to oil and gas development.” That is, the DEP says all of these wild-eyed claims of radiation poisoning are false…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Gov Wolf Defends Anti-Drilling Choices for DEP, DCNR
January 16, 2015January 16, 2015

Pennsylvania Gov.-Elect Tom Wolf is already playing defense about his pick of two people–John Quigley and Cindy Dunn, both of whom have worked for the anti-drilling PennFuture organization–to run the Dept. of Environmental Protection and the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, respectively (see Wolf Officially Announces Quigley to Head DEP, Dunn to Head DCNR). He’s also pretty thin-skinned about the valid observation that he seems to using a lot of Rendell retreads in his administration–both Quigley and Dunn, as well as others, worked for former Gov. Ed “Fast Eddie” Rendell. Seems that Wolf’s “outsider” facade is being ripped right off his face. Wolf’s team is composed of consummate Harrisburg insiders. Here’s what Wolf snipped to reporters yesterday when asked about it…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide NY | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | Wastewater | West Virginia

Yet Another Duke University Study Smears the Marcellus Industry
January 15, 2015January 15, 2015

Let’s see, it’s a new month in a new year–must be time for a new Duke University study (located in North Carolina) to pop up smearing Marcellus Shale drilling (located in Pennsylvania and West Virginia). Yep, that’s just what’s happened. The new study, titled “Iodide, Bromide, and Ammonium in Hydraulic Fracturing and Oil and Gas Wastewaters: Environmental Implications” was published yesterday in the “peer reviewed” journal Environmental Science & Technology. Here’s all you need to know about this “study”: The lead author is a Duke University student (looking to make a name for herself), and it was funded by the virulently anti-drilling Park Foundation. Which means the outcome of the so-called “study” was written before the first test tube was held over a Bunsen burner…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

What’s Next for PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane?
January 15, 2015January 15, 2015

On Monday MDN told you that Pennsylvania’s anti-drilling Democrat Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, is herself under investigation for leaking secret grand jury information to a newspaper (see Impeachment, Arrest Looms for PA AG Kane, Caught Leaking Info). So what happens now to Kane? Does she get arrested (so richly deserved after she’s arrested innocent people in the drilling industry numerous times)? Will she be forced to resign because she can no longer do her job (although one can argue she hasn’t been doing it for the past two years)? Will she be impeached and removed from office? Will nothing happen at all? The Philadelphia Inquirer, right in the center of this controversy (a couple of their reporters have been subpoenaed as receiving the secret info from Kane), delves into what may be next for PA’s in-trouble AG…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Wolf Officially Announces Quigley to Head DEP, Dunn to Head DCNR
January 15, 2015January 15, 2015

It’s official. As we told you two days ago, Pennsylvania Gov.-Elect Tom Wolf would select two anti-drillers to head up the organizations that oversee drilling in the state, those organizations being the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). We told you the leaked-by-Wolf names would be John Quigley for DEP and Cindy Dunn for DCNR (see PA Gov-Elect Wolf Selects Anti-Drillers to Head DEP, DCNR). Both worked for the anti-drilling organization PennFuture (Dunn as its president). The leaked rumor is no longer rumor. Yesterday Wolf’s transition team made the disappointing official announcement…
Read More “Wolf Officially Announces Quigley to Head DEP, Dunn to Head DCNR”
Allegheny County | Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | New York | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Williams Spending $100 million Per Month in the Marcellus/Utica
January 14, 2015January 14, 2015

There’s an excellent regional television program in Pittsburgh called “Our Region’s Business” hosted by veteran reporter Bill Flannigan. On December 7, Jim Scheel, Senior Vice President for Northeast G&P for Williams, appeared in a segment on the program (video embedded below). Scheel shared some eye-popping statistics about the Marcellus/Utica, and about Williams and their commitment to the region. Scheel said, among many things in the short 7-minute segment, that in 2014 Williams spent an astonishing $100 million per month on pipeline projects in the northeast region. They currently employ 750 people in the northeast and over the next year or so expect to add another 160 people to the payroll. What an exciting, dynamic company! Here’s a few more stats Scheel mentioned…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Gov-Elect Wolf Selects Anti-Drillers to Head DEP, DCNR
January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

In a huge disappointment, Gov.-elect Tom Wolf has tapped two members of the same anti-drilling “environmental” organization–PennFuture–to head up the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Both also once worked for Gov. Ed Rendell (Wolf is acting more like Fast Eddie every day). Wolf is tapping John Quigley, who was Secretary of DCNR under Gov. Ed Rendell, to be Secretary at the DEP. Lately, Quigley has hung his hat at PennFuture as its government relations manager. His boss at PennFuture, Cindy Dunn (president of that organization), will become the Secretary of DCNR for Wolf. She served as deputy secretary of the DCNR under Rendell. It’s all kind of incestuous, isn’t it? PennFuture has a history of opposing the Marcellus industry–and now these two Rendell retreads are put in charge of managing the Marcellus industry. Unfortunately, we take that has an bad harbinger of what Wolf plans for Marcellus drilling in the Keystone State. His true colors are starting to show…
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CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Phila. Gas Works Launches 12-Day Open Season to Expand LNG
January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

An interesting footnote to the drama that’s played out over the past 10 months in the proposed sale of the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), Philly’s city-owned natural gas utility. You may recall that Philly’s Democrat Mayor, Michael Nutter, worked out a deal to sell PGW for $1.86 billion to UIL Holdings, a Connecticut utility (see Phila. Gas Works Deal for $1.86B – Marcellus/Utica One of Keys). Eventually, after months and months and months, City Council President Darrell L. Clarke, acting like a corrupt Philly crime boss, refused to allow any hearings on the sale and killed the deal (see Philly City Council Kills the Phila. Gas Works $1.86B Deal). The crown jewel of PGW (see LNG Facility the Crown Jewel in Scuttled PGW Sale) is once again in the limelight. PGW announced yesterday they are holding a 12-day, non-binding “open season” for potential new customers of LNG sold by the plant with an eye to expanding the LNG plant. If they do expand it, they’ve said they will use Marcellus Shale gas to feed it…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Troubling Win in PA Court Victory that Allows State Land Drilling
January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

Last week MDN told you about the crushing defeat of the Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) in one of the their many lawsuits to stop drilling in PA (see PA Court Rules to Allow More Leasing/Drilling of State-Owned Land). What’s kind of funny about it is that the very case they sought to win–the Act 13 case that allows local towns to impose their own zoning on drilling–was used against the PEDF in the decision. Citing the “Robinson” case some 16 times, the Commonwealth Court told the PEDF that yes, the state can lease state land for drilling and yes, the General Assembly can decide how and where they want to spend the money such activity raises. Even though the outcome (for pro-drillers) was a positive, the way the court got there–using the Robinson decision–is troubling for the Marcellus industry…
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Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Shale Gas News Radio – January 10, 2015 [Audio]
January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

Every Saturday the one-hour Shale Gas News show airs on Scranton, PA’s 94.3 FM “The Talker” radio station. The show is co-hosted by Kevin Lynn of Linde Corporation and Bill desRosiers from Cabot Oil & Gas. MDN brings you the latest program show notes and recordings for Shale Gas News each week (well worth your time to listen). Here’s the latest program, recorded on Saturday, Jan. 10…
Read More “Shale Gas News Radio – January 10, 2015 [Audio]”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Impeachment, Arrest Looms for PA AG Kane, Caught Leaking Info
January 12, 2015January 12, 2015

It seems no one IS above the law, including Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Kathleen Kane. She is, you may recall, anti-drilling and has targeted both large and small companies related to the Marcellus industry. She abused her office by filing criminal charges against XTO Energy for an accidental spill that occurred two years before she took office (see PA AG Abuses Her Authority, Files Criminal Charges Against XTO). She also abused her office by filing criminal charges against EQT (see PA Attorney Gen. Kane Abuses Office Again, Arrest Warrant for EQT). But it’s not only the big boys she has a vendetta against. She also shut down a small company that does environmental remediation and wastewater disposal (see Minuteman Enviro Says PA AG Office “Terrorized” Family Members, Filing Lawsuit). Now Kane has been caught red-handed leaking privileged grand jury information to a newspaper and she’s resorted to crying about men bullying her. So predictable…
Read More “Impeachment, Arrest Looms for PA AG Kane, Caught Leaking Info”
Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Laurel Mountain Energy | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

“New” Pittsburgh Company Forms to Target Marcellus/Utica in W PA
January 12, 2015January 12, 2015

A brand new baby is born! Or is it? Using money from private equity firm TPH Partners, the father-son team of Clark and David Nicklas have just given birth to a new “upstream” (exploration and production) company called Laurel Mountain Energy which will be headquartered in Pittsburgh and target the Marcellus, Upper Devonian and Utica layers in western PA. Dad Clark founded Vista Resources in 1987 and since that time the company has drilled over 1,000 wells in the northeast. This is Houston, TX-based TPH’s first investment in the Marcellus, and they couldn’t be happier…
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Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

DCNR Says PA May be Getting Shorted on Royalties for State Land
January 9, 2015January 9, 2015

Before he left office, Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell leased all of the state-owned land he could for gas drilling before he hypocritically slapped a moratorium on any further such leasing for his Republican successor, Tom Corbett. Turns out old Ed is crazy like a fox. PA not only got whopping big money from signing bonuses that Ed used to plug big holes in his overspending budgets, but now the state regularly receives $10 million PER MONTH in royalty revenues from all of that leasing. Thanks Ed! Just one problem, according to the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)–the state may be getting shortchanged on some of their royalty payments. The DCNR won’t say who they think is doing the short-changing. They’re running a full blown review right now…
Read More “DCNR Says PA May be Getting Shorted on Royalties for State Land”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Court Rules to Allow More Leasing/Drilling of State-Owned Land
January 8, 2015January 8, 2015

In a crushing blow to the litigious anti-drilling group Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF), the PA Commonwealth Court ruled yesterday against the PEDF’s lawsuit that attempts to stop all drilling and leasing of state-owned lands for oil and gas drilling. The court said a) such drilling is just fine and b) the decision of whether or not to allow drilling on state-owned lands (and which parcels) rests with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The court further said that the General Assembly can decide how the monies received from leasing and production royalties will be spent–even as part of the general budget (former Gov. Ed Rendell leased hundreds of thousands of acres so he could use the money to prop up his failing budgets). It was a clean sweep. The PEDF lost all of their points in the lawsuit. The downer is that incoming Gov. Tom Wolf has said he won’t lease any more state lands for drilling…
Read More “PA Court Rules to Allow More Leasing/Drilling of State-Owned Land”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Reporter Falls for Delaware Riverkeeper Anti-Pipeline Bamboozle
January 8, 2015January 8, 2015

THE Delaware Riverkeeper and anti-driller, Maya van Rossum, continues her bamboozling ways. van Rossum finds conspiracy and evil intent behind every new pipeline project (or shale well) she hears about–and she’s only too glad to spread FUD–fear, uncertainty and doubt–about every announced project. The latest “angle” by van Rossum is to say when a huge pipeline company like Williams plans expansions to its largest pipeline system, the mighty Transco (10,200 miles of interstate pipelines), if Williams doesn’t combine all of those expansions in different geographic locations into one big, massive project, they’re trying to hide something. They’re trying to game the system. They’re trying to downplay the so-called environmental impacts all of those projects collectively will have on Precious Mother Earth. It’s just more fast talking by van Rossum…
Read More “Reporter Falls for Delaware Riverkeeper Anti-Pipeline Bamboozle”