Marcellus Shale Newswire 07/29/2011

Vol. 2, Issue 20

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

PennEnvironment

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Patrick Henderson: Corbett’s point man on energy

By Angela Couloumbis

July 24, 2011

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20110724_Patrick_Henderson__Corbett_s_point_man_on_energy.html

Patrick Henderson is Gov. Corbett’s energy advisor in Harrisburg and is one of the most powerful people in Harrisburg that Pennsylvania citizens don’t know about. He partnered up with Senator White and their team was known for being conservative but fair. PennEnvironment’s David Masur said, “The door was always open. We disagreed, but it was always civil and on the substance. He’d always hear you out.”

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Shale panel offers blueprint for future

By Laura Olson

July 23, 2011

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/11204/1162494-503.stm

Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus shale commission’s report was released with a total of 96 recommendations on how to deal with hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania. Two of the most controversial issues, pooling and an impact fee, were covered by the committee but their recommendations were very broad. The drilling industry commended the report but environmental groups have given mixed reviews.

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dry well: Marcellus shale report comes up short

July 25, 2011

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/11206/1162724-192.stm

The 137 page report of Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission has 96 recommendations on how to deal with drilling in Pennsylvania but it seems as if they did not do their job. They backed an impact fee but did not endorse is strongly enough that Gov. Corbett will definitely go for it and they also support the controversial issue of pooling. It seems as if the Commission missed their opportunity to help Pennsylvania to Marcellus shale drilling.

 

Scranton Times-Tribune

Natural gas use recommendation spurs debate

By Robert Swift

July 24, 2011

http://thetimestribune.com/news/naturalgasuserecommendationspursdebate-1.1179562#axzz1T84zjGnS

Among the 96 recommendations by Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission is a recommendation to include natural gas under Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. This program requires electric utilities to purchase 18 percent of their power from alternative and renewable energy sources by 2020. Jan Jarrett, president of Penn Future, said that this would hurt market demand for other energy sources, “Right now, natural gas accounts for 25 percent of electric generation. It doesn’t need an incentive.”

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission report offers fuel for debate

By Sandy Bauers

July 23, 2011

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20110723_Marcellus_Shale_Advisory_Commission_report_offers_fuel_for_debate.html

There is plenty to debate about in the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission’s report even though there were few surprises. The Commission favors an impact fee for the purpose of mitigating and offsetting and the fee should reflect “the ongoing nature of certain impacts.” Senator Scarnati feels that the Commission’s work has only delayed legislative action.

 

Wilkes-Barres Times Leader

Gas report gets mixed responses

By Matt Hughes

July 24, 2011

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Gas_report_gets_mixed_responses_07-24-2011.html

After the release of Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission’s report, there were mixed responses. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors applauded the commission for supporting an impact fee while the Pennsylvania Budget and Policty Center says its a “missed opportunity to examine the broad impacts of Marcellus Shale drilling.”

 

Politico

Pennsylvania fracking report raises questions

By Talia Buford

July 26, 2011

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59968.html

The release of Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission’s report raised questions about the actual impact of the commission’s recommendations. Most of them require changes in state law, but the legislature is in recess until September. Environmental groups were disappointed that the report only delayed legislative action regarding drilling. PennEnvironment’s Erika Staaf stated, “To delay implementing much-needed policy in order to regurgitate facts we already had at our fingertips is an abomination.”

 

Business First

Audubon Society plans Marcellus shale curriculum

By Anya Litvak

July 27, 2011

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/07/27/audubonsocietyplansshalecurriculum.html

The Audubon Society of Western Pennyslvania has received a $6,333 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection to design a “Marcellus Shale risk assessment and implication curriculum” for high school students. The Audubon Society will recruit 30 teachers from public schools in Western Pennsylvania to visit well-sites and talk with industry experts and environmentalists to design the curriculum.