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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman plans to sue the federal government if it does not commit within 30 days to conduct a full environmental review of regulations proposed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) that would allow natural gas development projects — with conditions — in affected areas of the Marcellus Shale.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman plans to sue the federal government if it does not commit within 30 days to conduct a full environmental review of regulations proposed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) that would allow natural gas development projects — with conditions — in affected areas of the Marcellus Shale.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to remember that BP plc’s Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico leaked a substantial amount of natural gas besides the millions of barrels of oil that got so much attention.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to remember that BP plc’s Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (see Daily GPI, Aug. 4) leaked a substantial amount of natural gas besides the millions of barrels of oil that got so much attention.

Attorney General Eric Holder last Tuesday said the government is conducting criminal and civil investigations into the spewing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, which is now moving into its seventh week.

Attorney General Eric Holder Tuesday said the government has launched criminal and civil probes into the mammoth oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This comes as the latest procedure — “top kill” — to cap the damaged riser 5,000 feet below the surface failed, the spill enters its sixth week, and estimates of the spewing oil were raised to 12,000-19,000 b/d, making it the worst oil spill disaster in U.S. history.

Puget Energy and its principal utility subsidiary, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), expanded senior leadership. Eric Markell becomes executive vice president and CFO; Bertrand Valdman becomes executive vice president and COO; and Kimberly Harris becomes executive vice president and chief resource officer (CRO). Markell joined the company in 2002, Valdman in 2003 and Harris in 1999. “Their new assignments will broaden and focus the management expertise of our entire leadership team. This realignment adds more focus to our efforts to continue to improve our gas and electric [utility] service, to our development of a full range of energy and energy efficiency resources, and to improving our financial ability to deliver on our region’s expectations,” said CEO Stephen Reynolds. Puget’s PSE utility is the state of Washington’s oldest and largest private-sector utility, serving 1 million electric and 718,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties — primarily in western Washington.

In what could be part of the prelims to bigger, harder-hitting fights, Nevada Consumer Advocate Eric Witkoski in March has publicly lashed out at Sierra Pacific Resources’ two utilities, alleging possible shoddy maintenance practices in the north and an excessive general rate increase request in the south. Meanwhile, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that regulates the utilities has been mostly quiet.

The Alaska gas reserves tax ballot initiative, crafted last summer by Anchorage Democratic Reps. Eric Croft and Harry Crawford, was certified this week and will head to voters Nov. 7 regardless of what the legislature does with a bill that would impose a similar tax on state leaseholders.