Acting

At the direction of Republican Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, acting Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mike Krancer on Tuesday called on all drilling operators to stop delivering wastewater from Marcellus Shale gas extraction by May 19 to 15 facilities currently accepting it, citing newly revised total dissolved solids (TDS) regulations.

Joseph Martens has been confirmed as commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Martens, a former president of the Open Space Institute, has been acting commissioner of the DEC since his appointment on Jan. 4 by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He was unanimously confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate. The DEC is working to meet a July 1 deadline to prepare a supplemental generic environmental impact statement on hydraulic fracturing (see NGI, Dec. 20, 2010; July 28, 2008). Martens replaces Alexander “Pete” Grannis as DEC commissioner. Grannis was fired by Paterson last October for allegedly leaking internal memos to the media that were critical of staff cuts — cuts that Grannis argued would impede DEC’s effectiveness in overseeing gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale (see NGI, Nov. 29, 2010).

Joseph Martens was confirmed as commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Tuesday.

During a state Senate confirmation hearing last week, the acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) promised to let “sound science” guide his decisions about Marcellus Shale activity in the state.

During a state Senate confirmation hearing, the acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) promised to let “sound science” guide his decisions about Marcellus Shale activity in the state.

Acting West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin last week said he would continue to fight for the state’s huge coal industry, but he also urged state residents to embrace the opportunities that would come from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. However, producers face soaring drilling fees under draft legislation expected to be considered by lawmakers.

Acting West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on Wednesday night said he would continue to fight for the state’s huge coal industry, but he also urged state residents to embrace the opportunities that would come from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

Two House Republicans have called on the Interior Department’s Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall to open an investigation into allegations that the Obama administration altered peer-reviewed recommendations by experts in a report to justify the 60-day moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Two Republicans on a House panel have called on the Interior Department’s Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall to open an investigation into allegations that the Obama administration altered peer-reviewed recommendations by experts in a report to justify the 60-day moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.