Recommendations

The Shale Gas Roundtable (SGR) — a 26-member group that includes elected officials and representatives from the oil and gas industry, academia, environmentalists and philanthropic organizations — has issued a list of recommendations to advance shale gas development in Pennsylvania.

In an announcement that ends a two-year tug of war with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over jurisdiction, Wyoming energy and environmental regulators will lead the investigation, working with the EPA, to continue the study of the potential impact of natural gas production activities in the Pavillion, WY, area on drinking water.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Tuesday released a Recommended Practice (RP) for pre-drill water supply surveys, the third in a series of shale development recommendations by the industry-backed organization. The latest RP is intended to ensure that homeowners’ water is properly tested prior to oil and gas development in their areas.

Flaws in a study of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on drinking water supplies being conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be addressed in order for the agency’s final report to be credible, according to a review of the study released Tuesday by the Battelle Memorial Institute.

A bill to legalize and begin regulating hydraulic fracturing (fracking) passed the North Carolina House of Representatives on Thursday. It will return briefly to the state Senate before being sent to Gov. Bev Perdue for her signature.

Still wanting to make his state the “energy capital of the East Coast,” Gov. Bob McDonnell last week unveiled a series of recommendations for the 2012 Virginia General Assembly session, which he said will allow the state to take advantage of “a bounty of natural resources that can aid in our nation’s growing need for affordable and reliable energy sources.”

Still wanting to make his state the “energy capital of the East Coast,” Gov. Bob McDonnell Wednesday unveiled a series of recommendations for the 2012 Virginia General Assembly session that he said will allow the state to take advantage of “a bounty of natural resources that can aid in our nation’s growing need for affordable and reliable energy sources.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he completely supports Spectra Energy’s proposal to expand two natural gas pipelines into the city, just days before Monday’s deadline for FERC to take public comments on the project.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is getting a lukewarm reception for his proposed changes to state shale policy, which largely mimic the recommendations his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission made three months ago (see Shale Daily, Oct. 4).