The Independent Oil and Gas Association (IOGA) of New York has called on the state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) to initiate an investigation into apparent violations of lobbying laws by the group known as “Artists Against Fracking,” which is led by Beatles star John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and their son, Sean Lennon.
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Pennsylvania Township Wants Range to Reapply for Denied Permits
Officials in Robinson Township, PA, told leaseholders that they were welcome to contact Range Resources Corp. and try to convince the company to reapply for two Marcellus Shale drilling permits the township denied in February.
Industry Brief
The FracTracker Alliance and Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) are offering free training sessions across southeastern Pennsylvania for citizens who want to utilize the mapping capability of fractracker.org, a web-based tool for tracking and visualizing data related to shale gas extraction operations. The sessions “will show people how to find where drilling operations are located and learn more about them, according to MWA, which said the tool is already being used by citizen water monitoring volunteers and community advocates. Sessions are scheduled in Washington County Feb. 26, Butler County March 26, and Westmoreland County April 30, with more sessions planned through October. Information and registration is available by contacting Melissa Troutman (melissa@mtwatershed.com, (724) 455-4200 ext 6). The training sessions are sponsored by the Heinz Endowments (see Shale Daily, Sept. 2, 2011).
People
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) appointed Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Chairman Barry Smitherman chair of the NARUC committee on gas. Smitherman, who had served as a co-vice chair of the committee, replaces outgoing chair Timothy Alan Simon of California. Commissioner Todd Snitchler of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio was appointed gas committee co-vice chair along with Commissioner Paul Roberti of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. Roberti also leads the NARUC task force on pipeline safety.
Colorado Producers Challenge Longmont’s Fracking Ban
The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) late Monday filed a lawsuit in a county district court seeking to invalidate the city of Longmont’s ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) within its city limits. COGA told the court the resolution essentially is a ban on oil/natural gas drilling.
Republican State Officials Call on Obama to Pull Fracking Rule
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and several state attorneys general Monday signed a letter asking President Obama to pull the final rule on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on public and Indian lands at the federal level.
IPAA Creates Task Force to Challenge Endangered Species Listings
Following President Obama’s re-election to a second term, the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) has formed a task force to challenge in court federal regulations issued by the government over the next four years that may affect oil and natural gas.
Industry Briefs
The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) has requested a public forum with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on the agency’s plans regarding the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because members are concerned that new listings could harm domestic oil and natural gas exploration and production. In a letter to FWS Director Daniel Ashe, IPAA CEO Barry Russell said members understand that the agency is obligated to meet certain deadlines under a court-approved settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity and Wild Earth Guardians. However, there has been “little transparency afforded to the public on which species are coming up for review,” Russell said. “The pure depth and breadth of these settlement agreements could harm our membership and create uncertainty in the development of domestic oil and natural gas.” By 2016 FWS is required to complete a review of 250 candidate species for final listing on the ESA and is required to complete other actions on listings and critical habitat petitions of more than 1,000 species.
People
The board of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) elected as chairman C. Gregory Harper, who is senior vice president and group president of CenterPoint Energy’s Pipelines and Field Services businesses. Harper follows Spectra Energy CEO Gregory L. Ebel as INGAA chairman. The board also elected Gary L. Sypolt, CEO of Dominion Resources’ Dominion Energy operating segment, as first vice chairman, and David Devine, president of Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipe Line Co., as second vice chair. INGAA officers are elected for one-year terms.
BP Gas Could Power, Heat Interior Alaska
Fairbanks, AK-based electric cooperative Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) has signed a natural gas supply contract with BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. for up to 23 Bcf of gas per year for 20 years. The deal would meet its power generation needs and eventually allow for gas deliveries — via liquefied natural gas (LNG) — to Interior Alaska, the cooperative said.