Ordinance

Los Angeles City Council at the end of February directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance banning well stimulation practices. It is reportedly aimed at hydraulic fracturing (fracking) but is cast more broadly than that, according to oil/natural gas industry sources.

AES Corp. has thrown in the towel on its long-sought Sparrows Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) import project and associated pipeline, after seven years of fighting project opponents. During that period, the North American natural gas market did a complete flip to soon become an LNG exporter.

The Town Board of Onondaga, NY, voted Monday to extend its moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for three months, or until the board passes an ordinance either allowing or prohibiting the practice.

A Pennsylvania judge ruled that the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) had no authority to review local drilling ordinances for compliance with Act 13, a decision that could force the agency to release nearly $1 million in impact fee revenue withheld for noncompliance.

Local government officials from around Colorado took a swipe at Gov. John Hickenlooper for suing the city of Longmont, CO, to turn back its ordinance establishing natural gas and oil drilling regulations within its boundaries. The state maintains exclusive jurisdiction in this area under the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).

As the natural gas industry pushes for a standardized drilling ordinance in Pennsylvania, it doesn’t expect the regulations to be easy, just predictable, a pair of executives told an audience in Pittsburgh last Wednesday.

As the natural gas industry pushes for a standardized drilling ordinance in Pennsylvania, it doesn’t expect the regulations to be easy, just predictable, a pair of executives told an audience in Pittsburgh.

The Arlington, TX, City Council Tuesday initially approved amendments to the city’s gas drilling ordinance that would place stricter requirements on operators. Among them are a requirement to install video surveillance equipment at drill sites and restrictions on the use of diesel-powered rigs in favor of electric rigs. The latter provision is intended to reduce noise and emissions at drill sites. Also slated for revision are the definition of “protected structures,” and setback compliance requirements. In order to take effect, the amendments need a second vote, which is expected to happen when the council meets next month.

Pennsylvania lawmakers have restarted discussions about imposing an impact fee on natural gas operators by removing the fee from legislation introduced earlier this year.