Stay Current With County's Daily News Site. For regular updates on Marcellus Shale natural gas issue as they affect Potter County, check the county's daily news site, Potter County Today. Bookmark the site and scroll through for the latest developments and archived stories.
DCNR Spells Out State Forest Land Impact. A wealth of information on the impact of Marcellus Shale gas
production on state forest land has been posted on the Pa. Dept. of
Conservation and Natural Resources website. Nathan Bennett, a senior geologist
with DCNR, and Susquehannock District Forester Chris Nicholas discussed some of
the consequences of opening more forest land to drilling as guest speakers at
this month’s Potter County Natural Gas Task meeting. Mineral rights on roughly half of the 262,000 acres of the
Study Estimates Marcellus Shale Gas Economics. Another study has been released estimating a multi-trillion economic impact from Marcellus Shale gas production primarily in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York. The American Petroleum Institute study, authored by Dr. Timothy J. Considine, an expert on natural resource economics, is available here.
Natural Gas From A Worldwide/Renewable Energy Perspective.
The Worldwatch Institute has launched an initiative designed to explore
and communicate the potential of natural gas, renewable energy, and
energy efficiency to work together to build a low-carbon economy. The
project provides a forum to examine potential environmental, social,
and political obstacles that must be addressed if natural gas is to
accelerate, rather than delay, a low-carbon energy transformation.
Partnering with leading companies, academic institutions, industry, and
the
public sector, the initiative will propose needed actions, with a focus
initially on the United States. Carl Roberts, a veteran geologist from
Coudersport, has reviewed the first in a series of briefing papers,
entitled "Addressing the Environmental Risks from Shal Gas
Development," and considers it to be an excellent source of
information. To obtain a copy of this report (registration required),
and to sign up for others, click here.
Shale Gas Policy Recommendations.
Policy and planning recommendations for development of Marcellus Shale
natural gas in Pennsylvania have been issued in a detailed report by
the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. It's based on a policy
conference held in May and includes input from gas industry leaders,
policy planners, scientists and other experts. A copy of the report is
available for review or printing here.
Legislature Considers Severance Tax Options. An
extraction tax on natural gas is part of the revenue package approved
to fund the 2010-11 state budget.
Several
versions of the “severance tax” are now being debated, including some
that would
share a substantial part of the revenue with counties and
municipalities. Leaders of both House and Senate caucuses are hammering
out the details with a goal of having the tax in place by October.
State Panels Okay Discharge Regulations. The
Environmental Quality Board in May approved stronger
discharge regulations that affect natural gas drilling wastewater. The
Independent Regulatory Review Commission followed suit by approving the
standards in June. Next, the regulations move to the Environmental
Resources and
Energy committees in the state House and Senate for a final review. The
Pa.
Dept. of Environmental Protection said the regulations will
“better enable the state’s Marcellus Shale reserves to be developed
without
sacrificing the health and quality of
Protecting Your Private Water Supply: Here's How:
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has recently issued
detailed and easy-to-follow directions and advice for property owners
seeking to protect their private water supplies from nearby natural gas
drilling. Officials advise property owners to considering having their
water tested before and after drilling activity. A copy of this helpful
advice can be obtained here.
House Approves Halt In State Forest Leasing.
Additional leasing of state forest lands for natural gas
drilling would be halted for three years under a bill approved in
May by the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives. House Bill 2235 is now before the Senate. HB 2235 would ban
additional leasing of forest land while environmental impact
studies are completed. State conservation officials would then weigh
environmental, aesthetic and public use values -- rather than state
revenue
needs -- when leasing new tracts. About one-third of the 2.1 million
acres of state forest
land is currently leased. Roughly one-third of the 32,000 acres of
forest land leased
to energy companies in 2009 is located in
New Law Requires More Frequent Gas Production Data.
Pennsylvania will join other major natural gas states in requiring the
prompt disclosure of production results. Under a new law, well-specific production data must be disclosed
every six months. Current law requires state regulators to keep oil and
gas production data confidential for five years. Supporters say faster
disclosure will let landowners see
whether they are getting the royalties they are owed.
SRBC Water Monitor Data Online; More Coming. Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) has announced that
data from initial remote water quality monitoring stations are now available on
a website, srbc.net/programs/remotenetwork.htm. SRBC is deploying
water quality monitoring stations in regions where natural gas drilling in the
Marcellus shale is most active. Stations are now located on Meshoppen Creek, Wyoming County;
Sugar Creek and Tomjack Creek, Bradford County; Hammond Creek, near Millerton
in Tioga County, and Trout Run, Clearfield County. Each station continuously
reports water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, water depth and
conductance (ability to conduct electricity). Thirty stations are planned in
Web Resource For Legal Issues, Related Topics. Gas exploration raises some significant legal questions. Individuals making leasing decisions are advised to consult an attorney to understand their options and to protect their legal rights. Surface land owners not owning drilling rights need to understand what they can and cannot do. Local governments need to understand how Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Act affects their abilities to influence drilling. Timely information on legal issues and related topics can be found here.
State House Considering Land/Water Act.
Legislation designed to reduce impacts to the environment
from gas drilling is now before the Pennsylvania House Environmental
Resources and Energy Committee. House Bill 2213, the Land and Water
Protection Act, was introduced by Rep.
Camille George. HB 2213 would:
--Require DEP to inspect Marcellus well sites during each drilling phase.
--Extend to 2,500 feet, from 1,000 feet, the presumed liability of a well
polluting a water supply.
--Require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing.
--Update bonding requirements to cover the costs of decommissioning a well.
--Clarify local governments’ authority to regulate oil and gas activities. For a text of HB 2213, click here.
EPA Establishes Water Impact 'Tipline'.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created an "Eyes on
Drilling" tipline for citizens to report suspicious activities related
to natural gas and oil development. Citizens are asked to call,
toll-free, 1-877-919-4372, if they observe what appears to be illegal
disposal of wastes of other suspicious activity. Reports can also be
submitted by email to eyesondrilling@epa.gov. Further information on
the tipline can be found here.
Gas Industry Offers Web Resource. The
natural gas industry has formed an organization to disseminate
information about production from the Marcellus Shale and related
issues. Website for the Marcellus Shale Coalition is here: www.pamarcellus.com
Marcellus Education/Training Center. A Marcellus Shale Education and
More State Forest Land Being Leased. The Pa. Bureau of Forestry has announced successful bidders for gas-drilling leases on certain sections of state forest
land. Seneca Resources of Houston, Texas, was high
bidder on 7,440 acres between Denton Hill and Fox Hill,
offering $23.3 million. Penn Virginia Corp. submitted the high bid of
$13.9 million on 3,640 acres in Eulalia and Roulette townships, north
and west of Coudersport. The state will also receive 18 percent of
production royalties. Results of the bidding process can be found here: State Gas Lease Results
Landowners: Everyone Into The Pool! Property owners who are
considering leasing mineral rights for
production of natural gas are being advised to pool their acreage with
neighbors to get a better return. Landowner associations have been
springing up across much of northern and central Pennsylvania. Many
energy companies prefer the property pools, since they allow access to
contiguous acreage and create economies of scale. Mineral rights owners
have benefitted from higher per-acre lease payments and
royalties. Some
property owners may not be aware of the fact that they do not
own the mineral rights on their land. Determining ownership stakes has
resulted in steady work for area title searchers, lawyers and land
agents.
Industry Impact On Forests, Waters. PennEnvironment
has issued a report, "Protecting Forests, Protecting Waterways,"
studying the potential impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas impact on
water and land, and making recommendations to the state. For details: PennEnvironment. 
Cooperative Extension Reaching Out. Penn
State Cooperative Extension has been active in educating the public
about the Marcellus Gas phenomenon, including a partnership with Penn
College of Technology to form the Marcellus Shale Education and
Training Center. Learn more about Cooperative Extension’s information services through this website:
naturalgas.extension.psu.edu
