Address

Domestic natural gas — particularly that from shales — is the fix for a host of problems, including the need for national energy security and measures to address pollution, as well as volatile energy prices, a task force formed last year said in a report released last week.

Domestic natural gas — particularly that from shales — is the fix for a host of problems, including the need for national energy security and measures to address pollution, as well as volatile energy prices, a task force formed last year said in a report released Monday.

The nation’s association of state regulators on Tuesday established a new working group to address natural gas pipeline safety advocacy programs that have taken on renewed emphasis after a series of major accidents in the pipeline industry in the past six months.

Natural gas has gotten a ringing endorsement from an unusual source. In a policy address at the American Enterprise Institute, John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon, operator of the largest fleet of nuclear power plants, urged lawmakers to “do nothing” and let the markets dictate and the nation rely on “a clean, competitive and inexpensive windfall,” natural gas.

Natural gas has gotten a ringing endorsement from an unusual source. In a policy address at the American Enterprise Institute, John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon, operator of the largest fleet of nuclear power plants, urged lawmakers to “do nothing” and let the markets dictate and the nation rely on “a clean, competitive and inexpensive windfall,” natural gas.

Natural gas utilities, commercial firms and state regulators have called on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to refine its proposed definitions for swap dealers and major swap participants, which — unlike commodity end-users — will be subject to mandatory clearing of swaps under the agency’s proposed reforms (see NGI, Dec. 6, 2010).

The Colcom Foundation of Pittsburgh, PA, has launched the $1 million Marcellus Environmental Fund to distribute grants to nonprofit organizations “to address the accelerating environmental impact of shale drilling in western Pennsylvania through public education, community engagement, best practices, baseline data collection, ongoing monitoring, land owner guidance and collaborative projects.”

California regulators on Thursday waived normal hiring processes to form a review panel to address concerns about Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (PG&E) ability to meet peak demand in the event of a severe cold snap in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Between the recent pipeline accidents near Marshall, MI, and in San Bruno, CA, and the fact that the current natural gas pipeline network was set up decades ago to serve the eastern mega-market that now is developing its own supply, the natural gas transmission sector faces a number of challenges going forward.