Opposing

A coalition of landowners in Wayne County, PA, is threatening to file a lawsuit against the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) over a continuing delay in either enacting natural gas regulations in the basin or deferring regulation to its four member states.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is urging the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to proceed with a proposal to revise water quality regulations, a move that could ultimately open the basin to expanded Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.

A diverse coalition of often opposing forces has launched a center to provide producers with certification of performance standards for shale development and established the first 15 standards designed to ensure safe and environmentally responsible development of the Appalachian Basin’s shale gas resources.

A diverse coalition of often opposing forces Wednesday launched a center to provide producers with certification of performance standards for shale development and established the first 15 standards designed to ensure safe and environmentally responsible development of the Appalachian Basin’s shale gas resources.

The debate in New Brunswick over shale gas development in the emerging Frederick Brook Shale continued to escalate Thursday, with politicians on opposing sides of the issue trading barbs and setting the stage for a showdown this week in the Legislative Assembly.

California continues to deal with vocal dissenters opposing the widespread switch among energy utility customers — gas and electric — to advanced metering systems. While a growing number of small suburbs in the San Francisco Bay area are trying to make themselves smart meter-free zones, objective studies have verified the safety of the meters, which depend on radio frequency-emitting devices similar to — but less powerful than — cell phones. The Los Angeles Times on Sunday editorialized in favor of the new meters, noting particularly that on the electric side that they “have the potential to change the delivery of electricity as profoundly as the Internet changed the delivery of information.” Utilities save money by eliminating the decentralized house-by-house meter reading function and customers can save by being able to take advantage of time-of-use pricing and smart appliances. With at least four Northern California towns passing moratoriums against the meters, the Times said Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has “rightly ignored the nonsensical bans,” noting that it is regulated by the state, not local governments.

A 45-member coalition has fired off a letter to House committees opposing a bill that would delay implementation and enforcement of derivatives market reforms under the sweeping Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act for 18 months.

Natural gas futures traders on Thursday found themselves caught between opposing fundamentals as a bearish 115 Bcf storage draw report collided with expectations of a wave of lasting wintry cold Friday that was expected to bring heavy snowfalls from Omaha, NE, to Chicago, to Washington, DC, to New York City. The March contract ended up closing the day’s regular session at $5.416, three-tenths of a penny below Wednesday’s finish.

Natural gas futures traders on Thursday found themselves caught between opposing fundamentals as a bearish 115 Bcf storage draw report collided with expectations of a wave of lasting wintry cold Friday that was expected to bring heavy snowfalls from Omaha, NE, to Chicago, to Washington, DC, to New York City. The March contract ended up closing the day’s regular session at $5.416, three-tenths of a penny below Wednesday’s finish.