Impose

The preliminary draft permit rules for hydraulic fracturing operations, which would impose additional regulations on natural gas drillers operating in New York’s Marcellus Shale, were published Friday in their entirety by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The Quebec government should impose a moratorium on offshore natural gas and oil drilling in the Gulf of St. Lawrence until a risk assessment review is completed and after public consultation, a coalition of environmental groups said Tuesday.

Arkansas should increase its severance tax rate on natural gas production, including production from the Fayetteville Shale, to help pay for road repairs in gas producing areas, said Sheffield Nelson, former CEO of Arkla Inc., the state’s largest gas company. Nelson was among those who pushed for the state’s last severance tax increase three years ago.

Alexander B. Grannis, chief of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), was fired by Gov. David Paterson late last Thursday after an unsigned memo was leaked to the press disparaging staff cutsthat would, among other things, impede the agency’s effectiveness to oversee natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic-controlled House has approved legislation (SB 1155) that would impose a 39 cents/Mcf (about 10%) severance tax on natural gas drilling in the state, but the fate of a tax was far from assured as leaders of the Republican-controlled Senate blasted what they called a “punitive” tax rate that would drive business to other states.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic-controlled House has approved legislation (SB 1155) that would impose a 39 cents/Mcf (about 10%) severance tax on natural gas drilling in the state, despite assurances from members of the Republican-controlled Senate that they will not pass the bill.

Pennsylvania should impose a temporary moratorium on leasing additional forest land for new natural gas development until a comprehensive environmental and community impact assessment can be completed, a report released last Tuesday argues. Such a moratorium should not affect existing leases, though, said the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC).

Pennsylvania should impose a temporary moratorium on leasing additional forest land for new natural gas development until a comprehensive environmental and community impact assessment can be completed, a report released Tuesday argues. Such a moratorium should not affect existing leases, though, said the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC).

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Quality Board (EQB) Tuesday voted to impose increased permit fees for Marcellus Shale drilling operators that would raise the base permit cost to $900 from $100 and require additional fees for deeper wells.