Thursday, June 28, 2012

PA Marcellus News Digest 6/28/12

 PA Marcellus News Digest
June 28, 2012

Special: WITF Radio segment announcement following articles

Releases

Yaterra Ventures, Inc. Finalizing Terms to Acquire Leases in West Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale
Wallaby
June 27
LUBBOCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yaterra Ventures, Inc. (OTCBB: YTRV) is pleased to announce that final terms are being negotiated on a work over lease agreement which includes more than 150 wells on over 1600 acres of land in Western Pennsylvania, part of the much desired Marcellus Shale which extends throughout much of the Appalachian Basin.
Link:
http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2012/2012062799.HTM

37 WATER WITHDRAWALS FOR NATURAL GAS DRILLING AND OTHER USES SUSPENDED TO PROTECT STREAMS
SRBC Encourages the Public to Comment on Proposed Low Flow Protection Policy
SRBC Newsroom
June 28
HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC;
www.srbc.net) today announced that 37 separate water withdrawals approved by SRBC are suspended due to localized streamflow levels dropping throughout the Susquehanna basin.
Link:
http://www.srbc.net/newsroom/NewsRelease.aspx?NewsReleaseID=89

Articles

Lawyer: Attorney general's office tries to 'bully' judge in Greene County polluter case
Post-Gazette
Torsten Ove
June 28
The lawyer representing a Greene County businessman sentenced to probation for polluting waterways in six counties by illegally dumping wastewater for seven years has accused the state attorney general's office of trying to "bully" the sentencing judge into imposing a harsher penalty.
Link:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/lawyer-attorney-generals-office-tries-to-bully-judge-in-greene-county-polluter-case-642372/

Polluter’s attorney censures deputy AG
Observer-Reporter
Bob Niedbala
June 28
WAYNESBURG The attorney for Robert Allen Shipman responded Wednesday to the state’s motion asking the court to modify Shipman’s sentence to include jail time.
Link:
http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/story11/shipman-blackwell

Gas drilling impact may be deadly, medical couple say
Times Leader
Matt Hughes
June 28
WILKES-BARRE -- A husband-wife team of medical professionals said Tuesday that they’ve seen disturbing evidence that natural gas drilling can kill.
Link:
http://www.timesleader.com/stories/Gas-drilling-impact-may-be-deadly-medical-couple-say,169093?category_id=487&town_id=1&sub_type=stories

$3 Billion in Fossil Fuel Subsidies vs. Kindergarten
Keystone Politics
Blog
June 27
Eliminating kindergarten is totally nuts. It flies in the face of everything we know about the importance of early childhood education, and it is especially insane in light of how much the state spends on completely undeserving claims like the $3 billion in fossil fuel subsidies PennFuture identified earlier this year. The state is not broke. Nobody needs to be eliminating kindergarten.
Link:
http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2012/06/3-billion-fossil-fuel-subsidies-vs-kindergarten/

Tax experts question credits for Pa. Shell plant
Sentinel
Kevin Begos, AP
June 27
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gov. Tom Corbett and union leaders want lawmakers to approve a $1.7 billion tax credit to lure a new petrochemical plant to western Pennsylvania, but some tax experts say that would run counter to sensible tax practices and would be unfair to other businesses.
Link:
http://cumberlink.com/news/state-and-regional/tax-experts-question-credits-for-pa-shell-plant/article_7bd615c4-c085-11e1-a17e-001a4bcf887a.html

Cracker tax credit bill to require minimum standards
Pitt Trib
Brad Bumsted  and Timothy Puko
June 27
HARRISBURG — A tax credit designed to lure a petrochemical company to Beaver County is expected to be voted on in the state House today, a Republican Caucus spokesman said.
Link:
http://triblive.com/news/2108238-74/tax-credit-thomas-report-legislation-plant-annual-credits-information-investment

Marcellus Shale Boom Could Breathe New Life into Idled Refinery
State Impact
Susan Phillips
June 27
Link:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/06/27/marcellus-shale-boom-could-breath-new-life-into-idled-refinery/

Tracking Tioga County Wells With Our Shale Play App
State Impact
Scott Detrow
June 27
Link:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/06/27/tracking-tioga-county-wells-with-our-shale-play-app/

A Closer Look At The Initial Ethane Cracker Tax Break
State Impact
Scott Detrow
June 27
Link:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/06/27/a-closer-look-at-the-initial-ethane-cracker-tax-break/

Natural gas gold rush: Is your state next?
USA Today
Dan Vergano
June 27
he script might not play out exactly the same in each new community touched by the nationwide boom in natural gas and oil drilling, but the changes have a familiar echo:
Trucks. Noise. Cash. Conflict.
Link:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-05-29/fracking-environment-gas/55845708/1

Plan for fracking waste wells withdrawn
Mansfield News Journal
Linda Martz
June 26
MANSFIELD — Preferred Fluids Management has withdrawn its proposed site plan for two 5,000-foot-deep injection wells from consideration by the City Planning Commission.
Link:
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20120626/NEWS01/120626008/Plan-fracking-waste-wells-withdrawn

State pegs cracker jobs at 10K, give or take 10K
Pitt Trib
Timothy Puko
June 27
Members of Gov. Tom Corbett’s staff cited job projections on Tuesday that were half what they touted this month while promoting a proposed petrochemical plant in Beaver County and related tax breaks.
Link:
http://triblive.com/news/2101972-74/jobs-officials-release-state-beaver-county-permanent-project-20000-administration

Oil and gas industry not villain it’s made out to be
CDT
Stephanie Catarino Wissman
June 27
Energy — where and how to get it, and how to use it — is an issue that provokes intense, even heated, emotional debate across our country. And, as in any debate, there is a natural desire to find villains.
Link:
http://www.centredaily.com/2012/06/27/3243459/oil-and-gas-industry-not-villain.html

Legislators mum on Shell deal
Times-Observer
Jacob Perryman
June 27
Pennsylvania General Assembly members representing Warren County are playing things close to the vest when it comes to a proposed ethane "cracker" plant.
Link:
http://www.timesobserver.com/page/content.detail/id/558270/Legislators-mum-on-Shell-deal.html?nav=5006

Gas drilling: Lycoming County still active
Express
Scott Johnson
June 27
LOCK HAVEN - Despite the low price of natural gas, and the perceived lack of Marcellus Shale drilling operations in the area, officials say companies are still drilling... waiting for the price to go up to make it profitable for them.
Link:
http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/539637/Gas-drilling--Lycoming-County-still-active.html?nav=5009

Potter Township: The forgotten player in bringing Shell Oil to PA
Times Oniline
Leah Samuel, PublicSource
June 27
As Gov. Tom Corbett and legislators worked frantically to lure Shell Oil Co. to build a $3.2 billion ethylene processing plant in Western Pennsylvania, they forgot one of the players.
Link:
http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/potter-township-the-forgotten-player-in-bringing-shell-oil-to/article_19f38c47-0727-509a-a3b3-82a24ba01428.html

Aquatech breaks ground for expansion
Observer-Reporter
Michael Bradwell
June 27
CANONSBURG - Aquatech International broke ground Tuesday for a 35,000- to 40,000-square-foot expansion project that will give it more room for its growing support services and shale gas treatment businesses.
Link:
http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/story11/Aquatech-Groundbreaking

Executive Director to Discuss Health of Susquehanna River on WITF Radio Smart Talk
(full text below)
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Tune into WITF Radio Smart Talk on Monday, July 2, at 9 a.m. to hear Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Executive Director John Arway discuss the health of the Susquehanna River and other issues affecting fishing, boating and aquatic resources.

Radio Smart Talk is a daily, live, interactive program featuring conversations with newsmakers and experts in a variety of fields and exploring a wide range of issues and ideas, including the economy, politics, health care, education, culture, and the environment.

The show airs live every weekday at 9 a.m. on WITF’s 89.5 and 93.3.

In addition to the summer bass season, Mr. Arway will discuss a variety of issues, including Marcellus Shale drilling, aquatic invasive species, high-hazard dams, and the health of the Susquehanna River’s smallmouth bass population.

Listeners are encouraged to call the live show with questions for the show’s guests. The number to call in is 1-800-729-7532. Email questions can be submitted at
smarttalk@witf.org. The show can also be heard live from WITF’s website at http://www.witf.org/listen.

Media Contact
Eric Levis, Press Secretary
717.705.7806,
elevis@pa.gov

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