Marcellus Shale Newswire 05/27/2011

Vol. 2, Issue 11

A Collection of Marcellus Shale and Gas Drilling Articles from Pennsylvania and Beyond

PennEnvironment

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

DEP sued over foul odors; impact fee debated in senate

By Laura Olson

May, 26, 2011

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11146/1149265-113.stm

A woman in Washington County is suing the Department of Environmental Protection for not investigating her complaint about an odor coming from the Range Resources wastewater reservoir. The DEP inspector said he could not investigate the Range because there was no odor. 

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer 

Coal set the stage for natural-gas free-for-all

By Stephen P. Kunz

May 26, 2011

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20110526_Coal_set_the_stage_for_natural-gas_free-for-all.html

 

The environmental impacts of Marcellus Shale drilling are comparable to the impacts of the old coal mining techniques. Longwall coal mining was prohibited in 1966 but the affects of it are still being felt. If Macellus Shale drilling is not studied and laws are not put in place to protect the environment, then PA is headed down the same road as it was for coal mining. 

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bill requires quick response for fracking emergencies from companies

By John Manganaro

May 25, 2011

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11145/1148914-503.stm

 

After the April accident in Bradford county where it took a day for a special crew to show up to respond to the gallons chemical fluid spilling into a nearby stream, a new bill is in place to assure this does not happen again. It requires companies to register GPS coordinates with the Department of Environmental Protection and local authorities, and to file response plans with the local authorities.

 

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Brewster renews pitch for natural gas extraction fee

By Patrick Cloonan

May 23, 2011

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailynewsmckeesport/s_738499.html

Senator James R. Brewster proposed a 7 percent tax on gas extraction to generate 280 million dollars to be split between education, environmental programs, and local government services. The Marcellus Shale Coalition hopes that this will strengthen the bond between them and the municipal governments. 

 

Wall Street Journal

Fracking Disclosure is Urged

By Ben Casselman and Daniel Gilbert

May 24, 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303654804576341732861572382.html

Shareholders of Exxon, Chevro, and Ultra Petroleum Corp. are meeting to discuss whether the companies should disclose information on the pollution caused by hydrofracking. Chevron says that they plan on disclosing the information in the “near future”, Ultra Petroleum said that a similar resolution lost last year, and Exxon had no comment. 

 

USA Today

Study finds methane in wells near natural gas drilling

By Wendy Koch

May 24, 2011

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2011-05-09-fracking-environment-water-methane_n.htm

According to a Duke University study, 13 of 26 wells within a kilometer of a fracking site had elevated methane levels. Beyond a kilometer, only 1 of the remaining 34 wells had elevated levels. The methane levels were 17 times higher than average, but they are still testing for other chemicals used in fracking fluids. 

 

News OK – Oklahoma City

EPA chief Lisa Jackson says natural gas production is ‘a good thing’

By Chris Casteel

May 25, 2011

http://newsok.com/epachief-givessupport-tonaturalgas-production/article/3571116

The head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, said that increasing gas production is a good thing and that there is no proven case of polluted drinking water due to fracking. She told the house that gas drilling produces less air pollution than other drilling practices and so natural gas production should be increased. 

 

The Dallas Morning News

Exxon CEO defends natural gas drilling against activists’ warnings

By Elizabeth Souder

May 25, 2011

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20110525-exxonceodefendsnaturalgasdrillingagainstactivistswarnings.ece

At the annual Exxon stockholders meeting on Wednesday, Exxon CEO, Rex Tillerson, said that North America will double its natural gas production in the next decade. He said that the main concern of natural gas drilling, drinking water pollution, has not been proven to be a risk and the other polluting factors of gas drilling are easy to handle. 

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Aleppo eyes shale drilling

By Jonathan Barnes

May 26, 2011

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11146/1149118-54.stm

Although drilling has not started in the municipality of Aleppo in Allegheny County, they are starting to make plans for if it becomes an issue. They want to be ready to deal with the different laws and risks of Marcellus shale drilling.