Comprehensive

Pennsylvania should impose a temporary moratorium on leasing additional forest land for new natural gas development until a comprehensive environmental and community impact assessment can be completed, a report released Tuesday argues. Such a moratorium should not affect existing leases, though, said the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC).

Lawmakers should look to the recent crafting of “one of the most comprehensive underground mine safety laws in the country” for inspiration when they consider the further regulation of Marcellus Shale natural gas activities in Pennsylvania, John Hanger, secretary of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), told a state Senate panel Wednesday.

While Democrats and Republicans tried to smooth out their differences in the comprehensive financial regulatory reform bill, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) grew impatient and scheduled the first test vote on the bill for Monday (April 26).

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Kerry (D-MA) have outlined a framework for reaching agreement on comprehensive climate change legislation in the Senate, which would include provisions on promoting nuclear generation and expanding oil and natural gas development.

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Kerry (D-MA) have outlined a framework for reaching agreement on comprehensive climate change legislation in the Senate, which would include provisions on promoting nuclear generation and expanding oil and natural gas development.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) has introduced a comprehensive bill, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009, to restructure regulation of energy leasing on federal lands and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), including consolidating energy and mineral leasing programs, raising lease rental rates, assessing fees for nonproducing leases and ending the royalty-in-kind program.

Demand for heating and cooling has declined over the last 50 years as the U.S. population has migrated to moderate and warmer climates, a university researcher has found. Decreases range from 6% to 12% depending upon the calculation methodology used.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) has introduced a comprehensive bill, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009, to restructure regulation of energy leasing on federal lands and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), including consolidating energy and mineral leasing programs, raising lease rental rates, assessing fees for nonproducing leases and ending the royalty-in-kind program.

Demand for heating and cooling has declined over the last 50 years as the U.S. population has migrated to moderate and warmer climates, a university researcher has found. Decreases range from 6% to 12% depending upon the calculation methodology used.