Government

Two of the largest companies involved in natural gas drilling have acknowledged pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in the process of hydraulic fracturing [ http://www.propublica.org/special/hydraulic-fracturing-national ], raising further concerns that existing more»

WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has fined Fortuna Energy Inc. of Horseheads, N.Y., $3,500 for violations discovered last year at three of the company’s natural gas wells in Troy Township, Bradford County. more»

BELLFONTE -- Centre County commissioners voted to form a board to study natural gas drilling in the following areas: economic development, education and environmental issues, planning and zoning, public policy and legal issues. She is anticipating the board being in place within two weeks. more»

HARRISBURG – Lenny Lichvar of Boswell, Somerset County, has been sworn in as the District 4 commissioner for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, representing Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Somerset counties. more»

NEW YORK CITY -- One of the largest natural gas producers in the nation, Chesapeake Energy, is the only leaseholder in the Catskills, New York City’s watershed region, and it has assured the public that it won't drill there because of opposition from politicians and environmental groups. more»

Fear that accidental leaks could contaminate one of the world's largest unfiltered drinking water systems, the New York City Council called for a ban on gas drilling in its watersheds on Monday. City officials said drilling should be off limits in watersheds that serve almost 10 million people in and around New York City, about half of the state population. Read more here: more»

In what amounts to a redistribution of personnel resources, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will soon initiate a series of field inspections of some active Marcellus shale gas drilling sites. Beginning next month, the agency will begin monitoring wells that are in close proximity to waterways and wetlands. more»

UNIVERSITY PARK -- Proposed changes to Pennsylvania's effluent standards regulating total dissolved solids (TDS) and related substances could affect the state's oil and gas industries and other water users. more»

According to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, nearly 32,000 acres of additional state forest land in Pennsylvania will be leased to gas drilling companies. The six tracts are located in the Elk, Moshannon, Sproul, Susquehannock and Tioga state forests in Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton, Potter and Tioga counties. more»

This NPR article and podcast reports on a brewing Congressional battle between environmentalists and the natural gas industry over hydraulic fracturing. Gas companies inject millions of gallons of water and other chemicals into the ground and this method, "fracing," pries out gas from tight spaces. more»