Debates

In the environmental debates raging around natural gas and oil drilling in North America, one thing until now has not been in dispute: it takes huge amounts of water to open up reservoir fractures deep underground. However, new technologies developed in Canada, which have been tested in the United States, may offer the energy industry a waterless way forward.

In the environmental debates raging around natural gas and oil drilling in North America, one thing until now has not been in dispute: it takes huge amounts of water to open up reservoir fractures deep underground. However, new technologies developed in Canada, which have been tested in the United States, may offer the energy industry a waterless way forward.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) used an energy conference as an opportunity to urge state legislators and regulators to come to an agreement on Marcellus Shale regulatory reform, but also took a swipe at federal officials and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A committee of West Virginia lawmakers made little progress this week toward settling the remaining obstacles to a Marcellus Shale regulatory reform bill, instead using their time to debate — but ultimately leave unchanged — a steep increase in permitting fees.

A bipartisan panel of West Virginia lawmakers seeking a consensus on possible Marcellus Shale regulatory reform are scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning in Charleston.

A committee of West Virginia lawmakers voted Wednesday to recommend steep increases in permit fees and bonding requirements for Marcellus Shale drilling, resolving two key areas of disagreement as they work to cobble together a draft regulatory reform bill.

A debate over how to regulate the nascent Marcellus Shale industry in Maryland is progressing more subtly than similar debates in Pennsylvania or New York.

A debate over how to regulate the nascent Marcellus Shale industry in Maryland is progressing more subtly than similar debates in Pennsylvania or New York.

In the first of several debates before the Nov. 2 general election, incumbent Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski vowed that she will remain a Republican if she wins her write-in campaign to retain her seat.