The top five frackers in southwestern Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh Business Times’ Research Director Ethan Lott ranks the top five shale
gas producers in southwestern Pennsylvania by MCF of natural gas produced in 2014. 

1. EQT Production Co., 269,913,514 MCF produced locally

2. Range Resources Appalachia LLC, 233,136,739
3. Rice Energy LLC, 128,854,032.
4. Chevron Corp., 128,827,664.
5. Consol Energy Inc., 119,591,972
Find out more from the list here.

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Electric utilities zap customers with higher fixed fees


Electric utilities across the nation are responding to slumping sales by boosting fixed customer charges, generating a guaranteed cash flow regardless of the volume of energy a customer consumes.

Andrew Maykuth reports in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer:

Pennsylvania’s two largest electric companies, Peco Energy Co. and PPL Electric, have filed in recent days rate-increase requests that seek substantial boosts in basic monthly charges.


This shift toward fixed fees has aroused opposition in other states from advocates for low-income customers and seniors, as well as from renewable-energy and environmental groups.

Critics say reliance on fixed fees places a heavier burden on small customers and penalizes the growing number who install solar panels or use other methods to reduce their dependence on the grid.

"It’s poor public policy," said Bill Malcolm, a senior legislative representative for AARP.

"Raising the fixed monthly charge lowers the variable per-kilowatt charge, which creates a disincentive for conservation and energy-efficiency and gives consumers less control of their bill."



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NJ Future’s Chris Sturm on archaic urban sewer systems

         

Here’s the introduction to NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams’s March 19, 2015 interview with NJ Future’s Chris Sturm:

In virtually every big storm, much of New Jersey’s vintage water infrastructure overflows sending a staggering 23 billion gallons of raw sewage into waterways and streets and even basements each year. The culprits are so-called combined sewer overflows (CSOs) which now violate the Federal Clean Water Act.

Environmental groups sued the state Department of Environmental Protection, which has now issued permits that will force 25 cities and utilities to design new multi-billion dollar water systems without suggesting where the money will come from.

New Jersey Future Senior Director of State Policy Chris Sturm told NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams that permits released last week by the DEP are a permit to pollute, but with lots string attached.

The interview (click video link above) covers a lot of ground in nearly five minutes but, due to restricted program time, just seemed to get rolling when it was forced to end. We were left wanting to hear more about the innovative techniques that some cities are using as stop-gap alternatives to the incredibly expensive engineering costs associated with separating storm water and waste water during heavy rains.

EnviroPolitics will invite Chris Sturm and others to continue the discussion on this blog
and on our podcast.

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Climate-denying governors risk billions in FEMA losses

sandy - flooded taxi fleet - nj.com photo
                 Sandy-flooded taxi fleet in New Jersey  NJ.com photo
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency is making it tougher for governors to deny man-made climate change. Starting next year, the agency will approve disaster preparedness funds only for states whose governors approve hazard mitigation plans that address climate change.”
Katherine Bagley reports for Inside Climate News:

This may put several Republican governors who maintain the earth isn’t warming due to human activities, or prefer to do nothing about it, into a political bind. Their position may block their states’ access to hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA funds. Over the past five years, the agency has awarded an average $1 billion a year in grants to states and territories for taking steps to mitigate the effects of disasters.

“If a state has a climate denier governor that doesn’t want to accept a plan, that would risk mitigation work not getting done because of politics,” said Becky Hammer, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council’s water program. “The governor would be increasing the risk to citizens in that state” because of his climate beliefs.

The policy doesn’t affect federal money for relief after a hurricane, flood or other disaster. Specifically, beginning in March 2016, states seeking preparedness money will have to assess how climate change threatens their communities. Governors will have to sign off on hazard mitigation plans. While some states, including New York, have already started incorporating climate risks in their plans, most haven’t because FEMA’s old 2008 guidelines didn’t require it.

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Sen. Menendez–and supporters–react to his indictment

Senator Robert Menendez - Julio Cortez -Associated Press
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) arrives at news conference Wednesday in Newark. Photo: Julio Cortez (AP)

Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey was indicted on bribery charges on Wednesday in what prosecutors said was a scheme to trade political favors for luxury vacations, golf outings, campaign donations and expensive flights.

The New York Times reported: | “The indictment, the first federal bribery charges against a sitting senator in a generation, puts Mr. Menendez’s political future in jeopardy. He faces a possible sentence of 15 years in prison for each of the eight bribery counts.
“Mr. Menendez, a Democrat, angrily denied wrongdoing and vowed to fight the charges. “This is not how my career is going to end,” he said at a news conference in Newark, where supporters cheered him. “Today contradicts my public service career and my entire life.”
NJTV News anchor Mary Alice Williams and chief political correspondent Michael Aron reported the story (below) of the senator’s news conference in Newark following the announcement of his indictment.

The event was attended by a number of Cuban-American supporters from Hudson County and Sandy storm victims from the Jersey Shore residents who appreciated help provided by Menendez in dealing with the Federal    

NJTV News correspondent David Cruz picks up the coverage with a look at the senator’s political background.




Related news coverage:
Senator Robert Menendez Indicted on Corruption Charges – New York Times
Sen.Robert Menendez Indictment A Blow to Latino Political Influence – NBC News.com
Justice Department Indicts Sen. Robert Menendez On Corruption – KCBX
Menendez indictment: WNY Mayor Roque, rival Wiley react – PolitickerNJ
The Salacious Details Of Robert Menendez’s Indictment – http://dailycaller.com/
Editorials call on Sen. Menendez to resign – USA TODAY

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Capturing water treatment plant gas–with cooking oil


**UPDATED to add Bergen Record story and editorial** The folks who run the municipal water treatment plant in Ridgewood, NJ came up with a better way than just burning off the methane gas created in the process of treating waste. They added used restaurant grease to the mix and a privately financed system to turn much of the gas into electricity. It powers their operations at discount prices.

Mike Schneider of NJTV News visits the plant and reports on the innovation above.
 
Related:
Bergen utilities converting sewage into valuable energy source 
Editorial: Sewer Power (The Record of Bergen County)

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