The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new dates for a hearing in New York State on hydraulic fracturing, the last in a series to determine the scope of a study it will be conducting on the impact of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracing) processes on drinking water. To accommodate the large numbers expected, there will be four sessions over two days, Sept. 13 and 15, at the Broome County Forum Theater in Binghamton, NY. The sessions will run from noon-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. both days. Persons who had pre-registered for the Aug. 12 meetings that were canceled are automatically carried over to the new dates, but must choose one of the sessions. Others also should specify which session they prefer when registering. The New York hearings are the fourth in a series that included meetings in Dallas, Denver and Canonsburg, PA (see Daily GPI, July 15; July 12). The earlier meeting scheduled for New York was canceled when EPA determined that the facility it planned to use would not hold the large number of people interested in testifying. The study, which is to take at least two years, also is to examine other issues involved in hydrofracing (see Daily GPI, March 19). Individuals may pre-register for the meetings online at http://hfmeeting.cadmusweb.com or by calling (866) 477-3635 up to 5 p.m. Sept. 10. Those who are not pre-registered may still register to attend or provide verbal comment on the day of the meeting if there is time. Written comments may be submitted by e-mail to hydraulic.fracturing@epa.gov labeled “Hydraulic Fracturing Study – Comments” in the subject line, through Sept. 28.
Hearing
Articles from Hearing
Oil Execs Try to Shift Responsibility for Blowout, Spill
At the first Capitol Hill hearing on the Deepwater Horizon rig oil spill, top executives with BP America Inc., Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton defended their individual company’s actions and pointed fingers elsewhere.
UNG on Defense at CFTC Position Limit Hearing
The first panel of the third and final Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) hearing on potential position limits on speculative entities in the energy markets turned quickly into a debate on whether noncommercial traders — i.e., funds — were responsible for the price run-ups in crude and natural gas seen in recent years.
UNG on Defense at CFTC Position Limit Hearing
The first panel of the third and final Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) hearing on potential position limits on speculative entities in the energy markets turned quickly into a debate on whether noncommercial traders — i.e., funds — were responsible for the crude and natural gas price run-ups seen in recent years.
Industry Brief
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said it will hold a confirmation hearing Thursday (Aug. 6) for former Iowa regulator John R. Norris to sit on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In mid-June President Obama nominated Norris, former chairman of the Iowa Utilities Board and current chief of staff for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, to finish out the remainder of the term vacated by former FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher (see Daily GPI, June 12). His term term will expire on June 30, 2012. The committee is expected to hold a confirmation for FERC Commissioner Suedeen Kelly when Congress returns from its month-long recess after Labor Day. Obama in March tapped Kelly for another term on the Commission to expire on June 30, 2014 (see Daily GPI, March 23). Both Norris and Kelly are Democrats.
Nevada PUC Looks at Future Natural Gas Prices
Running counter to the continuing global fossil fuel price trends, Nevada regulators last Tuesday held a public hearing looking at future natural gas prices as part of a rate decrease request from Sierra Pacific Power Co. The utility is proposing to lower its retail gas rates 5.53% and retail power rates 4.57%.
Long Beach LNG Court Case Set for February Hearing
The California Superior Court in Los Angeles set a Feb. 11 hearing on Mitsubishi’s Sound Energy Solutions’ (SES) lawsuit seeking to force the Port of Long Beach to completed an unfinished environmental review of SES’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal in the Port of Long Beach. The latest court action came last Friday.
Oregon County Planners Weigh LNG Site Rejection
Warming up for a public hearing next Monday, the local county planning staff recirculated its negative assessment from earlier in the year recommending that local elected officials reject NorthernStar Natural Gas’s proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal site along the Oregon side of the Columbia River, about 30 miles east of Astoria, OR. A spokesperson for the project downplayed the staff report as old news.
Senate Panel Schedules Hearing for FERC Nominee Marc Spitzer
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said it will hold a hearing next Wednesday to consider the nomination of Arizona regulator Marc Spitzer to a five-year term on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He will replace outgoing Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell.
House Panel Eyes Action on Energy Royalty-Sharing Bill
Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) announced that the House Resources Committee will hold a hearing next Wednesday (June 14) on his bill to increase Louisiana’s share of royalties from offshore oil and natural gas production. A mark-up is expected the following week, he said.
