Assembly

With the remaining days of Pennsylvania’s 2010 legislative session dwindling, Gov. Ed Rendell on Friday asked leaders of the state’s General Assembly to gather with him and energy industry leaders in Harrisburg Monday to work on a natural gas severance tax bill.

With the remaining days of Pennsylvania’s 2010 legislative session dwindling, Gov. Ed Rendell on Friday asked leaders of the state’s General Assembly to gather with him and energy industry leaders in Harrisburg Monday to work on a natural gas severance tax bill.

With less than a month remaining before an election that could change the makeup of both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the state’s Republican-controlled Senate is preparing to take up legislation (SB 1155) approved last week by the Democratic-controlled House that would impose a 39 cents/Mcf (about 10%) severance tax on natural gas drilling in the state.

California’s lower state legislative house Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee postponed action last week on four energy proposals, while passing out a liquefied natural gas (LNG) assessment bill and failing to approve a proposed energy agency consolidation/reorganization proposal. The LNG measure (AB 993) now moves to the Appropriations Committee.

California’s lower state legislative house Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee postponed action Monday on four energy proposals, while passing out a liquefied natural gas (LNG) assessment bill and failing to approve a proposed energy agency consolidation/reorganization proposal. The LNG measure (AB 993) now moves to the Appropriations Committee.

Sonat reported finding additional Hurricane Ivan-caused damage on the Main Pass 311 tap assembly that had not detected during the initial post-Ivan dive investigations. In order to make repairs, the Main Pass 311-A meter has been isolated and the pipeline declared a force majeure at the point. Sonat is not accepting nominations at Main Pass 311-A until further notice. Based on its best information available, Sonat expects to complete repairs and return the point to service sometime Saturday. However, it noted there are many variables when making repairs offshore, and this schedule could change.

A lame duck California state legislator and pro-market Democrat, Roderick Wright, chairman of the state Assembly energy/utilities committee, Thursday night threw his hat in the ring for a future appointment ot the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission during a speech to an industry audience in Rancho Mirage, CA.

Working into the early hours of Thursday morning, the Pennsylvania General Assembly finally pushed through a statewide gas restructuring bill in the last session before breaking for summer vacation. Under the Natural Gas Choice and Competition Act, gas will become a price-deregulated commodity for residential and small commercial customers in Pennsylvania on Nov. 1. Gov. Tom Ridge, who has already voiced his support for the bill, has 10 days to sign it into law.

NOVA estimated that repairs to a flange assembly leak on its NorthLateral (see Daily GPI, May 17), whichstarted Wednesday, would take 24-36 hours to complete. Some receiptsupstream of Dusty Lake Compressor Station are being curtailed by thework.