Impact

Energy efficiency continues to make a dent in the national energy markets, with more states than ever formally measuring the annual impact of utility driven energy savings programs, according to two reports from the independent nonprofit American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Twenty-four states have implemented energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) in the past six years, following the lead of Texas and Vermont, and 13 of the 19 states with EERS policies in place for two years or longer achieved 100% or more of their goals; three states reached 90%; and the remaining three achieved 80%, according to ACEEE’s first report, “Energy Efficiency Resource Standards: A Progress Report on State Energy Saving Targets.” The second report documents how utilities are planning to increase their efforts to hit these higher energy saving levels. Six states with reportedly the largest and most successful efficiency programs — California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Vermont — are highlighted in some detail in terms of their ongoing and planned programs. Another six states among the next tier are also highlighted — Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Hoping to more accurately address the cost of development on local communities, a Pennsylvania Senate committee made major changes to a proposed impact fee on Marcellus Shale wells last Tuesday.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says the worldwide amount of estimated recoverable gas has doubled over the last few years thanks to unconventional gas resources. The agency noted that a global race for unconventional resources is on.

Hoping to more accurately address the cost of development on local communities, a Pennsylvania Senate committee made major changes to a proposed impact fee on Marcellus Shale wells on Tuesday.

Colorado’s Division of Wildlife said Thursday it had reached agreement with BP America Production Co. on wildlife conservation steps to mitigate the impact of natural gas drilling in the southwestern portion of the state.

Michigan regulators on Wednesday announced a new series of regulations that will impact the future operations of oil and gas drillers using hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) to stimulate production.

A coalition of 17 House lawmakers led by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has called on the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to conduct an environmental impact study (EIS) on new shale gas drilling in the basin or face legal action.

Thanks to the Montney and Horn River shale plays, Western Canada can hold its own in the natural gas renaissance; however, production from these developing plays will not offset declines in the region’s conventional gas production, according to Ziff Energy Group’s Edward Kallio, director of gas consulting.

A major Pennsylvania water company said “a full battery of tests” found no harmful impact on supplies from Marcellus Shale development.