Chesapeake Withdraws $25K Grant from Morgantown, WV
Yet another gas driller has decided to vote with its pocketbook against a community that insists on banning shale gas drilling.
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Morgantown Official Backpedals After Drilling Ban Overturned
It’s always interesting to watch politicians operate after a humiliating defeat. Politicians’ DNA does not allow them to simply look inward and recognize their own errors. They always look outward and blame others, or in some cases, declare the defeat was a good thing and accomplished just what they wanted all along! I refer to the situation in Morgantown, WV. In June, Morgantown City Council members voted to ban hydraulic fracturing both inside and up to one mile outside their borders (see this MDN story). This threatened a pair of Marcellus Shale wells being drilled about a mile from city lines. The result? The driller, Northeast Energy, sued the city. Last week a judge overturned the city’s ban and now hydraulic fracturing will commence (see this MDN story). All told, Northeast probably lost about a month out of their original drilling schedule (they continued drilling anyway, the ban specifically prohibited fracking and not drilling per se).
Read More “Morgantown Official Backpedals After Drilling Ban Overturned”
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | West Virginia
Judge Overturns Morgantown, WV Fracking Ban
For some time now, MDN has covered the hydraulic fracturing ban passed by the city of Morgantown, West Virginia (see list of articles here). In a surprise move last Friday, the Monongalia County (WV) Circuit Court Judge Susan Tucker overturned Morgantown’s fracking ban, clearing the way for Northeast Energy to continue drilling and fracking operations about a mile outside of Morgantown city lines. Judge Tucker’s “summary judgment” is embedded below.Read More “Judge Overturns Morgantown, WV Fracking Ban”
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Northeast Continues Drilling in Morgantown Despite Ban
The ongoing battle between Morgantown, WV and Northeast Natural Energy over two proposed gas wells located close to Morgantown continues, and gets interesting. Northeast had been working with Morgantown to address concerns that the two wells they propose to drill are close to the water intake for the city. Northeast believed everything was fine until city council voted to ban hydraulic fracturing both inside and outside of its borders—up to one mile outside (allowable under WV law). Northeast’s proposed wells are within that one mile radius, so the ban shut them down. Or did it?
According to press accounts, Northeast has just started work drilling the second Marcellus gas well and plans to start fracking the first well in September, regardless of the ban:
Read More “Northeast Continues Drilling in Morgantown Despite Ban”
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Drilling Company Sues Morgantown, WV for $42 Million in Lost Investment & Lost Future Revenue
Another chapter in the ongoing saga of Morgantown, WV. For those who have not followed the story, Morgantown city council members took it upon themselves to ban hydraulic fracturing outside of the city limits—up to one mile—which they say is allowable under a West Virginia law that grants cities the right to exceed their boundaries in certain circumstances. The council members are concerned that two Marcellus gas wells that will be hydraulically fractured are too close to the city’s water supply and the risks are too great.
The drilling company, Northeast Energy, says the state DEP issued permits for those two wells and that Northeast has worked with the city every step of the way to ensure there will be no problems, and that the city at the last minute changed their tune. Northeast has sued to overturn Morgantown’s ban, and if that doesn’t work, they want compensation not only for their lost investment, but also for potential lost revenue.
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Driller Sues Morgantown, WV Over Fracking Ban, Monongalia County Considers Suing the City Too
As MDN previously observed and predicted, the city of Morgantown, WV is now in court over the vote by city council members to ban Marcellus drilling both inside and outside of its borders—up to one mile outside.
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Update on Morgantown, WV Ban on Fracking Outside its Borders: You’re About to Get Sued
Morgantown, WV is about to get sued for banning hydraulic fracturing outside of its borders. As MDN previously reported (see here), the Morgantown City Council voted on June 21 to ban hydraulic fracturing within its borders and up to one mile outside of its borders. The decision has shut down an active operation for two wells being drilled by Northeast Natural Energy. WV has a law allowing cities to extend their reach up to a mile in order to carry out city functions. Many think City Council has overreached in this case.
Read More “Update on Morgantown, WV Ban on Fracking Outside its Borders: You’re About to Get Sued”
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Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia
Morgantown, WV Bans Marcellus Drilling Outside City Limits – Driller May Sue to Recoup Investment
After a few months of heated debate, the Morgantown (WV) City Council has voted to prohibit Marcellus Shale drilling not only within their borders, but also up to a mile outside of their borders. How can they do that? There is a provision in West Virginia state code that allows cities to extend their authority up to a mile beyond their borders to carry out city functions. It is that state loophole that Morgantown has used to shut down two wells slated to be drilled.
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Two New Marcellus Shale Gas Wells to be Drilled Close to Morgantown, WV
Northeast Natural Energy is set to drill two new Marcellus Shale gas wells just across the river from Morgantown, WV:
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Energy Services | Greene County (PA) | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Marion County | Momentum | Monongalia County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Washington County | West Virginia
New Marcellus Shale Pipeline Coming to Southwestern PA, Northern WV
Momentum, a company that focuses on “midstream” oil and gas assets, has signed on Chesapeake Energy and Statoil as customers for a new Marcellus Shale natural gas pipeline they are constructing in northern WV and southwestern PA.
From the press release:
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For some time now, MDN has covered the hydraulic fracturing ban passed by the city of Morgantown, West Virginia (