Two prominent Ohio Republicans — state House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Media) and Treasurer Josh Mandel — told supporters of the oil and natural gas industry that they oppose Gov. John Kasich’s proposal to levy new severance taxes on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and natural gas liquids (NGL).
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Lawmaker: Drilling Foes Spreading Hysteria Over Act 13
Pennsylvania House Speaker Sam Smith (R-Punxsutawney) accused opponents of shale gas drilling of spreading misinformation about Act 13, calling their claims that the law’s language on chemical disclosure would prevent doctors from treating their patients “outrageous.”
Lawmaker Aims to Speed Alaska In-State Gasline
Alaska Republican House Speaker Rep. Mike Chenault of Nikiski on Tuesday introduced legislation aimed at consolidating and advancing efforts to develop an in-state gas pipeline to commercialize North Slope reserves and get much-needed gas to the state’s residents. The project also would support exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).
House to Take Up Bill Expanding Energy to Fund Infrastructure Projects
House Speaker John Boehner Monday signaled that the House will take up legislation that will seek to clear the deck for expanded oil and natural gas production, with revenues going towards infrastructure upgrades.
Williams CEO: Shale Creating Petrochemical ‘Renaissance’
Shale formations are poised to create a renaissance in the U.S. petrochemical industry, Williams CEO Alan Armstrong said Wednesday.
Industry Brief
New Mexico House Speaker Ben Lujan has introduced legislation to boost the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel. HB 198 would give consumers an alternative to soaring gasoline prices and providing some incentives to convert their vehicles to run on compressed or liquefied natural gas. Currently, there are nine natural gas transportation fueling stations in the state, and most of the natural gas vehicles (NGV) are owned by municipalities. Under the proposed law vehicle owners would be credited with 70% of the conversion costs to switch to an NGV after receiving a 40% federal tax credit between now and Jan.1, 2017. A similar bill passed the state’s House last year but died in the Senate Finance Committee. Lujan said the typical NGV costs about $1.76/gallon, compared with more than $3/gallon for gasoline-fueled vehicles.
Cap-and-Trade Bill May See Floor Action Friday
Cap-and-trade (CAT) legislation is expected to hit the House floor Friday for debate and possible vote, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Tuesday.
API Challenges Claim of Producers Not Paying Royalties
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has disputed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) charge that producers are “not paying royalties to the taxpayer” for oil and natural gas production on federal lands and the federal Outer Continental Shelf. Pelosi made the accusation Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Bush Asked to Direct the CFTC to Restore Order to Energy Markets
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked President Bush Wednesday to “immediately direct” the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to use its existing emergency authority under the Commodity Exchange Act to restore order to the crude oil and gasoline markets in the United States (see Daily GPI, June 25).
White House Outlines ‘Basic Framework’ for Veto-Proof Energy Bill
The White House sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Monday that outlines a “basic framework” for an energy bill that would not trigger a presidential veto.