Secretary

The Interior Department is “very close” to releasing rules governing the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of oil and natural gas wells located on public lands, Secretary Sally Jewell said Tuesday in her first appearance before Congress.

At his confirmation hearing last week, Department of Energy (DOE) secretary-designate Ernest J. Moniz committed to review the department’s data and studies on natural gas exports, which relied on what some have said is outdated information that failed to examine the regional impacts of exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The Senate approved President Obama’s nomination of Sally Jewell as Interior secretary Wednesday by an 87-11 vote.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary-designate Ernest J. Moniz fielded questions about his position on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), natural gas exports and climate change during his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

At his confirmation hearing Tuesday, Department of Energy (DOE) secretary-designate Ernest J. Moniz committed to review the department’s study of natural gas exports, which relied on what some have said is outdated information which failed to examine the regional impacts of exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on Friday announced the department’s final plan for encouraging research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of oil shale and tar sands resources on more than 800,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in three western states.

A top House Republican has called on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to provide information on a two-year-old departmental internal investigations unit that was set up to look into wrongdoing by the offshore oil and gas industry and government officials who regulate their activities.

A Pennsylvania official said royalties from Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling on public lands will add about $60 million to state coffers this year.

Thanks to Pennsylvania air quality regulations and the “increased use of natural gas in the power generation sector,” Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mike Krancer said air pollution has “gone down considerably” within the state since 2008, even as the unconventional production of shale oil and gas ramped up.