Harmful

Calling it dangerous and potentially harmful to its ability to finance future natural gas pipeline safety upgrades, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) last Friday filed a formal reply to state regulators, strongly rejecting a safety staff recommendation of a $2.25 billion for PG&E’s part in the Sept. 9, 2010 pipeline rupture and explosion in San Bruno, CA.

An environmental group focused on recreation says industrial-scale development of oil shale is harmful to rivers and could require billions gallons of water annually, significantly more than what is needed for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale oil.

An environmental group focused on recreation says industrial-scale development of oil shale is harmful to rivers and could require billions gallons of water annually, significantly more than what would be needed for hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The war of words over hydraulic fracturing (fracking) took an unusual turn recently when Brecksville, OH-based Duck Creek Energy Inc. filed a lawsuit against two anti-fracking activists, claiming that they have “spread false and defamatory information” about the company and one of its products.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) plans to release a technical guidance this week explaining the details of wastewater regulations revised last year.

A natural gas drilling project in the Battlement Mesa area of the Piceance Basin in Colorado could have harmful health consequences for affected residents but there also would be benefits, according to a preliminary Health Impact Assessment (HIA) by the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH).

A natural gas drilling project in the Battlement Mesa area of the Piceance Basin in Colorado could have harmful health consequences for affected residents but there also would be benefits, according to a preliminary Health Impact Assessment (HIA) by the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH).

ConocoPhillips has agreed to install pollution control equipment and implement other emission-reduction practices to reduce harmful emissions and conserve natural gas at its Argenta and Sunnyside compressor stations on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in the San Juan Basin near Ignacio, CO, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said. Under a settlement agreement with EPA, ConocoPhillips agreed to pay $175,000 in civil penalties. According to a complaint filed with the settlement, the producer allegedly violated provisions of its air emissions permit under Title V of the Clean Air Act. EPA said ConocoPhillips had cooperated in resolving the violations.

ConocoPhillips has agreed to install pollution control equipment and implement other emission-reduction practices to reduce harmful emissions and conserve natural gas at its Argenta and Sunnyside compressor stations on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in the San Juan Basin near Ignacio, CO, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said. Under a settlement agreement with EPA, ConocoPhillips agreed to pay $175,000 in civil penalties. According to a complaint filed with the settlement, the producer allegedly violated provisions of its air emissions permit under Title V of the Clean Air Act. EPA said ConocoPhillips had cooperated in resolving the violations.