Assembly

Expecting a rush of new pipelines to support growing Marcellus Shale production, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed two bills this week that give state regulators more oversight over pipelines in the state.

When the Pennsylvania General Assembly returns to its regular session next week it will once again face a proposal to institute a severance tax on natural gas production.

A bill moving through the Pennsylvania General Assembly would give state regulators more oversight over intrastate pipelines, but the sponsor of the legislation wants to expand it to include gathering lines in remote areas that aren’t currently regulated.

The promised natural gas severance tax for Marcellus Shale production “clearly is dead,” Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday, and he blamed the General Assembly’s GOP members for refusing to “negotiate in good faith.”

The promised natural gas severance tax for Marcellus Shale production “clearly is dead,” Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday, and he blamed the General Assembly’s GOP members for refusing to “negotiate in good faith.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell on Thursday said the promised natural gas severance tax for Marcellus Shale production “clearly is dead,” blaming the General Assembly’s GOP members for refusing to “negotiate in good faith.”

Despite three days of meetings that brought together members of both chambers and both sides of the aisle in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly, along with representatives from the gas industry, agreement on a proposed natural gas severance tax bill remained elusive, and the state’s Senate ended its last scheduled work day before the Nov. 2 election without voting on the legislation.

Despite meetings that brought together members of both chambers and both sides of the aisle in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly and representatives from the gas industry at the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg Monday and Tuesday, agreement on a proposed natural gas severance tax bill remains elusive, according to Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson).

Despite meetings that brought together members of both chambers and both sides of the aisle in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly and representatives from the gas industry at the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg Monday and Tuesday, agreement on a proposed natural gas severance tax bill remains elusive, according to Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson).