Agriculture

Any restrictions or outright bans on natural gas would have severe implications for the U.S. agricultural sector and the nation’s food supply, the American Gas Association (AGA) warned in a study released Wednesday.  As policymakers across the world weigh the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition and more localities across the United States…

As California’s four-year-old drought worsens and draws increasing government restrictions, the state’s oil production, ranked third nationally, may provide some measure of relief, particularly for the multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry.

As California's four-year-old drought worsens and draws increasing government restrictions, the state's oil production, ranked third nationally, may provide some measure of relief, particularly for the multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry.

The University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) is seeking an industry partner for a proposed research project to investigate impacts of natural gas and oil exploration, as well as development from shale formations, in East Tennessee and the wider region.

A coalition of nine environmental groups in West Virginia have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to require that operators add tracers to fluids used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) at Marcellus Shale oil and gas wells drilled near the Monongahela National Forest.

After relying on industry voluntary actions regarding drilling setback and water sampling approaches, Colorado regulators are poised to establish new mandatory rules covering exploration and production (E&P) companies.

The House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a hearing Wednesday to review four bills and three discussion drafts that seek to amend Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

A week after President Obama lent his support to natural gas vehicles, the administration made clear it was not playing favorites in the transportation sector. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Friday announced a new federal program to expand flexible vehicle fuel pumps for ethanol.

The Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service on Monday published a notice of intent in the Federal Register (Vol. 74, No. 118) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) as part of its proposal to enact federal drilling rules within the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. More than 90% of the mineral rights under the national forest land are privately owned, and the Forest Service previously did not require an environmental analysis, as mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act. Pennsylvania’s energy industry and some state officials are suing the Forest Service to prevent the rules from being enacted (see Daily GPI, June 11). The draft EIS is expected in January 2010, with the final EIS expected in April 2010. Comments are due by Aug. 21 and may be sent to comments-eastern-allegheny@fs.fed.us. The subject line should read “Transition EIS.”