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PA Game Commission Gets Big Royalties on New State Land Leases
February 1, 2013February 1, 2013

The Pennsylvania Game Commission voted on Wednesday to approve oil and gas drilling agreements on state land in five PA counties—some of the deals are new and some are extensions/renewals of existing deals. That’s newsworthy in and of itself (and sure to drive anti-drillers bonkers).

The news for landowners in this story, however, is the royalty percentages for the new land deals. Some impressive numbers:

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Economic Impact | Housing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Washington County

Marcellus Workers First to Get Studio 6 Motel in PA
December 24, 2012December 24, 2012

Author Tom Bodett is perhaps best known for commercials in which he’s the spokesman for a motel chain, using the phrase, “We’ll leave the light on for ya.” Quick: Which motel chain is it? If you said “Motel 6,” you would be correct. So you’ve heard of Motel 6, but have you ever heard of Studio 6? Probably not—but you soon will.

Studio 6 is a long-stay motel started by Motel 6—think something between a hotel room and a small apartment. The state of Pennsylvania is about to get it’s very first Studio 6. And where might you think it’s being built? Philadelphia? Harrisburg? Pittsburgh? Nope. It’s being built halfway between Pittsburgh and Washington, PA (so to be fair, it is in the Pittsburgh “orbit”). But PA’s very first Studio 6 is not being built for business travelers—it’s being built for those working in the Marcellus Shale drilling fields of western PA.

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Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Stantec | Stark County | Washington County

Canadian Firm Buys PA Marcellus Survey/Mapping Company
December 17, 2012December 17, 2012

Canadian firm Stantec, which provides consulting service in engineering, surveying and environmental sciences, announced on Friday that they have bought out Landmark Survey and Mapping. Landmark, with 24 employees in both Washington, PA and North Canton, OH, specializes in surveying and mapping oil and gas pipelines—a growing area of focus for Stantec.

From the announcement:

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Allegheny County | Beaver County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Washington County

Pittsburgh Residents Support Marcellus Drilling Nearly 2-to-1
November 20, 2012November 20, 2012

The Pittsburgh University Center for Social and Urban Research along with PittsburghTODAY recently conducted a wide-ranging survey of Pittsburgh (and its suburbs) residents. Among the questions asked was a series of questions about the environment, including Marcellus Shale drilling. Overall, 45% of area residents support Marcellus drilling while 25% oppose it.

The details…

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Allegheny County | Beaver County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

Public Spat Between Rep. Jesse White & Range Resources Continues
November 19, 2012November 19, 2012

An article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review takes a pretty fair look at the troubles faced by PA State Rep. Jesse White and his attacks on Range Resources. Last week Range released some fairly damning emails in response to White’s attacks that seem to indicate White, who had previously courted Range, turned on them when they didn’t provide enough campaign money and support to his liking. The turning point seemed to be when Range turned down White’s request (which he now says was a joke) for a ride to the Super Bowl on a Range jet (see this MDN story).

Saturday’s Tribune-Review article quotes some in his own (Democrat) party expressing their doubts about White’s actions and words:

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Allegheny County | Beaver County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

Why the Blood Feud Between Jesse White & Range Resources?
November 14, 2012November 14, 2012

It’s evident to anyone who follows the news out of Pittsburgh that there is a blood feud, or grudge match—choose your metaphor—between Pennsylvania State Rep. Jesse White (from western PA) and Range Resources. It wasn’t always that way. Just a few short years ago Rep. White and folks at Range were pals. Not anymore.

Range says White is the one who has changed in this relationship and they’ve released a number of emails as “proof.” The friction seemed to start when Range turned down a request by White for a plane ride to the 2011 Super Bowl…

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Allegheny County | Fayette County | Greene County (PA) | Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Washington County

Duquesne U Anti-Drilling “Study” Based on 14 Interviews
November 12, 2012November 12, 2012

Duquesne University (Pittsburgh) is hosting a conference on the effects of shale gas drilling in a “Boom and Bust” conference being held today and tomorrow at the university. Although the conference flies under the banner of “science” and will share the results of a “scientific study,” it is any but. It’s about the findings of a so-called study that interviewed 14 hand-picked anti-drilling women about their feelings and attitudes toward drilling. They were interviewed twice each.

So much for scientific inquiry at Duquesne.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Washington County

PA DEP Sec. Krancer Calls Rep. White a Liar re Water Testing
November 7, 2012November 7, 2012

Last week MDN brought you the news that western PA House Rep. Jesse White and an attorney in a lawsuit against Range Resources accused the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) of intentionally withholding well water test results that would show a link between shale gas drilling and contamination of well water (see this MDN story). The allegation was made after two DEP officials were deposed in the lawsuit. Their comments seemed to confirm that the DEP does not, in some cases, test or report certain results available to them. Such a request to “suppress” or not test uses a special code (SAC 942).

Yesterday, DEP Sec. Michael Krancer minced no words in responding to Rep. White (see his letter below). Sec. Krancer essentially said White is ignorant of the facts and a liar. Krancer couched his words it in politically correct language—but the sentiment is definitely there.

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Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Supply Chain | Washington County

Hotel in Rural Western PA Makes it Big from Marcellus/Utica
November 6, 2012November 6, 2012

Another feel good story about a small hotel that made it big because of the Marcellus and Utica Shale. This story comes from rural Bentleyville, PA, not far from West Virginia and Ohio:

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Washington County

MSC Responds to Allegations PA DEP Skews Drilling Water Tests
November 5, 2012November 5, 2012

Late Friday MDN told you about an allegation made by PA State Rep. Jesse White (from western PA) and an attorney for a plaintiff in a lawsuit in Washington County, PA alleging well water was contaminated by nearby shale gas drilling. White and the attorney claim the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) knowingly suppressed water test results to the plaintiff and others that would have proven a link between drilling and water contamination (see this MDN story).

The DEP immediately responded, refuting the claim that they skew water tests. The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), an organization representing large and small drillers in Pennsylvania and throughout the Marcellus Shale, has also responded. Here’s what they said on Friday about Rep. White’s claims of fraud at the DEP:

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Washington County

PA DEP Accused of Skewing Water Tests from Wells Near Drilling
November 2, 2012November 2, 2012

Pennsylvania House of Representatives member Jesse White (D-Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington counties) is outraged with the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and says someone needs to go to jail. The DEP is outraged with Mr. White and lawyer Kendra Smith. What’s all the outrage over?

Two DEP officials have gone on record in a court case in Washington County, PA with testimony that seems to indicate when the DEP tests residential water wells suspected of being contaminated by natural gas drilling, the reports they issue suppress (or simply don’t look for) certain drilling-related chemicals. Mr. White says it’s evidence of a systematic cover-up—a crime. He’s basing his allegation on a letter by Kendra White, attorney in a case against Range Resources (a copy of the letter is embedded below). The DEP says Mr. White and Ms. Smith are both wrong.

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

Cecil, PA Public Hearing to Revise Zoning for Act 13
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Even though the Town of Cecil (Washington County, PA) is one of the seven towns suing the state of PA over the zoning provisions of Act 13, the town is going to consider changing their zoning law to be compliant with Act 13 all the same. The situation is now murky and “fluid”…

On Friday, Cecil’s town manager said this:

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Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Taxation | Washington County

PA Rep. Jesse White Contacts MDN to Set Record Straight
October 26, 2012October 26, 2012

Yesterday MDN brought you the story of Cecil Township in Washington County, PA and how Range Resources indicated, according to the town, that they could influence the town resident who has brought a complaint against the town which is keeping the town from receiving $246,000 in impact fee revenue to drop his complaint in return for a private meeting between the town and Range (see this MDN story).

MDN quoted PA State Rep. Jesse White as part of that story. Rep. White said such an overture by Range is “extortion, plain and simple.” As part of that story, MDN referred to Rep. White as anti-drilling. He contacted us to set the record straight on that score. We always like to be accurate! So we’re happy to convey what Rep. White said.

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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Washington County

PA State Rep. White Accuses Range Resources of Extortion
October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

Pennsylvania State Rep. Jesse White (D) from Cecil, PA (Washington County) is a well-known and devoted anti-driller. He’s accusing Range Resources of attempted extortion of the Town of Cecil. Here’s the background:

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Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | NGLs | Pennsylvania | Washington County

Neighbors Not Happy with MarkWest’s Short Line RR
October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

It’s not all peaches and cream when drilling comes to an area. Industrialization does have impacts—more truck traffic, more noise, higher rents, packed restaurants. Add to that list more railroad traffic. That can be good—MDN loves covering the stories of short line railroads on their way out that suddenly are revitalized.

But sometimes the railroad story has a few bumps. MarkWest Energy purchased an old short line railroad right of way that runs 4 1/2 miles in Mount Pleasant Township (Washington County, PA) a couple of years ago and rebuilt the rails. They recently started running a train along those rails to connect their Houston processing plant with a larger railroad to carry natural gas liquids (NGLs) including propane and butane to market.

Neighbors living close to the rail lines have complained of noise and late night runs:

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Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Washington County

PA Towns Complain about PUC Act 13 Zoning Review
September 27, 2012September 27, 2012

The Pennsylvania townships that sued the state over the newly enacted Act 13 shale drilling law are feeling a little picked on at the moment. The lawsuit brought by seven townships earlier this year is about to go before the PA Supreme Court in a few weeks (see this MDN story). The case revolves around the right of local municipalities to pass and enforce their own zoning laws with respect to oil and gas drilling within their borders. The new Act 13 law provides a consistent set of zoning rules for all townships, replacing and superseding local laws. Some towns in western PA didn’t like it and sued.

Under Act 13, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) is empowered to review and decide whether or not towns are living up to the provisions of Act 13. If they are in violation, the towns won’t receive money from the new impact fee collected under Act 13 (part of a $200 million pot for this year). The current bone of contention is that the PUC is moving forward with reviews of zoning law in select towns, including four of the seven towns that brought the lawsuit. And those towns don’t like it—not one little bit.

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