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Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a Norwegian-based risk management foundation, has published recommended practices (RP) to guide operators that extract shale natural gas.

Idaho regulators last Friday asked for stakeholder and general public comments on a long-term planning document by Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities that forecasts 20 years of low gas prices and demand by its retail residential and business natural gas customers in the northern panhandle of the state.

The city of Corpus Christi, TX, is appealing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to grant it the right to decide whether to sell water to oil and gas producers for hydraulic fracturing and other purposes in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas. One company has approached the city to buy water for industrial purposes, according to Corpus Christi Water Director Gus Gonzalez, as reported by the city’s Caller-Times newspaper. If the TCEQ agrees, the city would be allowed to divert surface water from the Choke Canyon reservoir for mining activities. “If [city] council approves any contract water sales, then all revenues generated will be deposited to the water fund and used to either reduce rates or fund future water supplies,” according to a city document related to the matter.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is challenging a Pennsylvania policy for measuring air emissions, including those from Marcellus Shale development.

Following lengthy public hearings and the arrival of thousands of written comments by experts and stakeholders, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said Wednesday it needs another month to complete an environmental review and proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state.

An annual increase of 1.75% in its peak-day gas loads through 2015 is projected by Boise, ID-based Intermountain Gas Co. in a five-year planning document submitted recently to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Given planned upgrades over the next five years, Intermountain sees no peak-day challenges.

Looking to streamline document handling, FERC Thursday finalized a rule requiring all tariff filings by public utilities, natural gas pipelines and oil pipelines be made electronically.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) attacked ex-Enron Corp. Chairman Kenneth Lay in federal court this week, claiming Lay had “demonstrated a frankly whimsical approach” toward constitutional protection against self-incrimination, and asked the court to put an end to “this charade” by compelling him to turn over 870 pages of documents it has requested for nearly two years.

A FERC judge late Wednesday scheduled a hearing for El Paso Corp. to challenge an agency subpoena that orders the energy company to furnish documents on its deceptive price reporting activities involving an energy publication.