Congressional

A new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Services (CRS) has backed up Republican lawmakers’ claims that all of the increase in oil and natural gas production that occurred during the past five years has been on state and private — rather than federal — lands. For the most part, state and private lands are where the shale action is.

A new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Services (CRS) has backed up Republican lawmakers’ claims that all of the increase in oil and natural gas production that occurred during the past five years has been on state and private — rather than federal — lands.

Surrounded by members of the state’s congressional delegation, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday signed legislation (HB 148) that seeks to have the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) turn over to the state the public lands it manages. The expectation is that this is the opening shot in what may become a legal war between several western states and the federal government.

Surrounded by members of the state’s congressional delegation, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday signed legislation (HB 148) that seeks to have the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) turn over to the state the public lands it manages. The expectation is that this is the opening shot in what will become a legal war between several western states and the federal government.

President Obama has signed into law pipeline safety legislation (HR 2845), which was one of the few energy issues that congressional Democrats and Republicans were able to agree on in 2011 (see NGI, Dec. 19, 2011).

President Obama Monday signed into law pipeline safety legislation (HR 2845), which was one of the few energy issues that congressional Democrats and Republicans were able to agree on in 2011 (see Daily GPI, Dec. 15, 2011).

With across-the-board federal budget cuts looming in the wake of the congressional super committee’s meltdown, the current spate of natural gas pipeline safety initiatives is unlikely to be harmed, according to a Washington, DC-based spokesperson for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA).

With across-the-board federal budget cuts looming in the wake of the congressional super committee’s meltdown, the current spate of natural gas pipeline safety initiatives is unlikely to be harmed, according to a Washington, DC-based spokesperson for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA).

In making his case for congressional action on natural gas use in transportation, the CEO of a California-based gas transportation fueling company recently told a House subcommittee that the added cost for heavy-duty natural gas-powered trucks is coming down and the NAT GAS Act (HR 1380) will help further reduce those added costs.