EnviroPolitics Blog

Fill er up: Pa’s natural gas storage nearing capacity

With natural gas being drawn at record levels from the Marcellus shale, the once-distant prospect of using up Pennsylvania’s vast
underground spaces — listed at nearly 777 billion cubic feet statewide — could be reached briefly this year, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Industry analysts point to mild winter weather and a near fourfold bump in natural gas production as reasons.

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Gavin Roberts, an energy analyst for Colorado-based Bentek Energy, predicts that a hotter summer will force electricity
producers to rely more on natural gas as a power-generation fuel.

That could help lessen the demand for gas
storage space underground, where energy companies use natural geologic
formations to hold the extracted fuel.

Tribune-Review staff writer Adam Smeltz reports:

“The federal Energy Information Administration
(EIA) has not released June storage totals in Pennsylvania, but national data
for May show the upward trend stretches across the country. At month’s
end, working natural gas inventories nationwide hit about 2.9 trillion
cubic feet, 31 percent higher than May 2011 levels, according to the
agency.

“That number is likely to swell to 4.2 trillion
cubic feet by autumn, up from 3.9 trillion cubic feet last year,
according to Bentek’s projections. Roberts estimated the national
storage capacity at 4.5 trillion cubic feet.

“Storage levels have been high since spring,
helped along by moderate winter temperatures that kept a lid on heating
fuel demands. Meanwhile, EIA data show natural gas production in
Pennsylvania has more than quadrupled since 2009.

“And “there’s still a lot of capacity that’s
been drilled and developed but is not online,” said Thomas Murphy,
co-director of the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and
Research. He pointed to state numbers, which show about half of the
Marcellus shale wells drilled in Pennsylvania are not yet feeding
pipelines.”

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Fill er up: Pa’s natural gas storage nearing capacity Read More »

Christie urged to sign bill banning frack-water treatment

The editorial page of New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper today urged Governor Chris Christie to sign into law legislation that would prohibit the treatment of wastewater produced by the controversial, natural gas drilling technique called hydrofracturing, or fracking.

The Star-Ledger Editorial Board wrote:

“New Jersey may not have any drilling going on, but Pennsylvania has a
mother lode in the Marcellus Shale and has lifted most barriers to
fracking, setting off a gold rush-like pace among drillers. Environment
New Jersey, a green advocacy group, estimates more than 1.3 billion
gallons of contaminated wastewater has already been produced in
Pennsylvania. Some drillers have already sent toxic waste byproducts to
New Jersey for treatment and disposal, to South Kearny, Elizabeth and Carteret.

“That should come to a halt. A bill to ban New Jersey businesses from
treating and disposing of fracking waste passed with overwhelming
bipartisan support from both houses. And Gov. Chris Christie should sign
it into law.”

Governor Christie has not yet indicated whether he will sign the bill.

Do you think he should? Tell us why–or why not–in the comment box below. If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comments’ link.

Related news:
New Jersey Senate Bans Treatment of Fracking Waste
NJ gov: No decision on banning fracking waste
Fracking making news again today in NJ, NY and PA

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Christie urged to sign bill banning frack-water treatment Read More »

NJ lawmakers breathe new life into old building permits

**Updated on July 2, 2012 to add related news story**

6Environmental organizations fought it all the way but a bill extending to 2014 the lives of expiring local and state building permits to help developers in a down economy has passed both houses of state legislature.

A-1338 is now on the desk of Gov. Chris Christie, who is expected to sign it.

Prior to final passage, the legislation was amended in both houses to assuage environmentalists’ concerns about development in the state’s environmentally sensitive Highlands area.

The final vote on the measure in the Assembly was 66-7 and 35-1 in the Senate.

Despite the concessions, the Sierra Club immediately labeled the measure as “one of the worst bills ever passed by
the Legislature.”

According to the organization’s state director, Jeff Tittel:

“This bill targets environmentally
sensitive areas throughout New Jersey especially the Highlands, Pinelands, and
Barnegat Bay. This legislation takes the side of developers interests over
public interest. It takes the side of sprawl and over development over protecting
water supply and natural resources.”

The size of the votes in both houses suggest that Mr. Tittel may be overreacting.

What do you think? Share your views in the comment box below. If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comments’ link.

************************************************************************************************************ For thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, try a free subscription to EnviroPolitics, our daily newsletter that tracks environment/energy bills–from introduction to enactment
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An investigation with election & enviro (maybe) impact

A news story with major implications in this presidential election year–and possible environmental implications, too–is on the launch pad with its engines just starting to rumble.

New York State’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reportedly is examining state and national tax-exempt organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, following claims of fraudulent transfers of money used for lobbying and political campaigns.

The Times Union reports today that:

“New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued subpoenas to unidentified organizations including executives at a foundation affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce. Schneiderman seeks emails, bank records and other data, according to the people familiar with the inquiry who spoke on condition of anonymity because the attorney general hasn’t publicly announced the inquiry.

“Schneiderman is investigating claims that tax-exempt organizations are influencing elections, while not being required to disclose donors. Both Democrats and Republicans are concerned about powerful groups with large amounts of money from anonymous donors influencing the presidential race.”

News of the investigation first appeared on June 26 in the New York Times which reported:

“The investigation is also looking at connections between the chamber’s foundation, the National Chamber Foundation, and another philanthropy, the Starr Foundation, which made large grants to the chamber foundation in 2003 and 2004. During the same period, the National Chamber Foundation lent the chamber $18 million, most of it for what was described as a capital campaign.

“In a complaint filed last year with the attorney general, watchdog groups asserted that the loan had been used to finance lobbying for “tort reform” legislation in Congress and to run issue advertising in the 2004 presidential and Congressional campaigns, most of it against Democrats.”

The Times story noted that:

“Mr. Schneiderman’s investigation is the first significant one in years into the rapidly growing use of tax-exempt groups to move money into politics. The biggest such groups, including Americans for Prosperity, which is backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, and Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, which was founded by Karl Rove and other Republican strategists, are expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars this year on issue advertisements against candidates to sway the outcome of the presidential and Congressional elections. “

Americans for Prosperity has been active in numerous environmental issues at both the national and state level.

In New Jersey, the organization has campaigned against the state’s participation in the regional greenhouse compact, RGGI. It also opposes state funding for offshore wind energy development. Governor Chris Christie has severed the state’s ties with RGGI but supports offshore wind farms.

In Pennsylvania, it has supported the coal industry by fighting tighter federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for new power plants.

In New York, AFP is pushing for the state to drop its participation in RGGI.

What’s your reaction to the news of the investigation? Use the comment box below. If one isn’t visible, click on the tiny ‘comments’ line.

************************************************************************************************************ For thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, try a free subscription to EnviroPolitics, our daily newsletter that tracks environment/energy bills–from introduction to enactment
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Fate of NJ solar industry rescue bill now up to Governor

The Administration of New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie once referred to solar energy as an economic “albatross.” Now it appears Christie will sign legislation to keep the bird flying.

The governor reportedly is preparing to sign into law a complicated, 37-page bill (S-1925) that received final legislative approval in the state Senate yesterday.

It is designed to rescue a formerly high-flying industry that in recent months has been described as close to collapse due to the over expansion of solar panel installations. That oversupply significantly drove down the value of credits paid for the energy that the panels produce.

The value dropped to the point that industry participants feared financing for new projects in New Jersey would dry up, jeopardizing companies that claim to provide up to 10,000 jobs in the Garden State.

The fix involves stabilizing the value of the solar credits by goosing up the timetable of required solar energy purchases by utilities and other energy providers and by requiring utilities to add more solar to their energy portfolios.

The bill also makes it easier for public entities to take advantage of solar system installations.

Under current law, a solar installation can only produce power for the building it is attached to and then receive credits for additional energy produced that is sent back into the energy grid.

S-1925 would allow for “net-metering,” which means school districts, counties, municipalities, and state entities could receive credits for the extra energy produced, even if they operate multiple, solar-paneled buildings and those structures are not connected.

Solar installations on brownfields and properly closed old landfills receive special benefits under the bill.

It also encourages projects developed for large manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies while discouraging large-scale projects on farmland.

Related news stories:
Christie expected to sign solar energy bill to bolster weak demand for credits
Compromise bill could help calm fears of collapse in solar sector
Legislature Passes Bill To Aid NJ’s Solar Energy Market
Governor Christie comments on New Jersey solar legislation

************************************************************************************************************ For thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, try a free subscription to EnviroPolitics, our daily newsletter that tracks environment/energy bills–from introduction to enactment
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Our most recent posts:
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Enviro-engineering firm, HRP Associates, expands to Pa.

HRP Associates, a Connecticut-based environmental and engineering consulting firm with an office in
Clifton Park, NY, has opened a new office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

In a news release, L. Andrew White, a Principal at HRP said, “In the past year, we have experienced an increased demand for our services in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from existing Clients and have acquired a number of new Clients in this area, as well.”

“Our projected near-term revenue from existing clients in the area exceeds $2 million and is growing rapidly. The new PA office allows us to continue pursuing our business plan objective of providing customized professional services with continuous east-coast coverage,” White said.

The company noted that the Lancaster location is “within close reach of the Philadelphia, Harrisburg, York, Trenton, and Wilmington markets.”

Leading the Lancaster office will be Scott Durnin. He comes to HRP from FCI, a
multinational electronics manufacturing company, where he had global
responsibility for the development and implementation of corporate
EH&S programs, real estate management, and sustainability.

Durnin holds a BS in Chemistry from Fairleigh Dickinson University
and a MS in Environmental Science from the University of New Haven.

The company says that “as a
consumer of EH&S consulting services, and manager of plant,
division, and corporate affairs for over three decades, Durnin is in
a unique position to understand what high quality service means to
clients and their specific business challenges.”

HRP Associates was founded in 1982 following enactment of the Resource
Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA). It offers clients help with site investigations and remediations, environmental health and safety compliance, environmental and civil engineering, and energy management.

In addition to its headquarters in F airfield, Ct. and office in Clifton Park, NY, HRP Associates operates in Florida, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Texas.

************************************************************************************************************ For thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, try a free subscription to EnviroPolitics, our daily newsletter that tracks environment/energy bills–from introduction to enactment.
***********************************************************************************************************

Our most recent posts:
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Fracking making news again today in NJ, NY and PA
Energy, environment bills on Harrisburg voting list today
Shale gas supporter wants to punish Philly transit agency
Changes ahead for land-use planning in New Jersey

Enviro-engineering firm, HRP Associates, expands to Pa. Read More »

Fill er up: Pa’s natural gas storage nearing capacity

Christie urged to sign bill banning frack-water treatment

NJ lawmakers breathe new life into old building permits

An investigation with election & enviro (maybe) impact

Fate of NJ solar industry rescue bill now up to Governor

Enviro-engineering firm, HRP Associates, expands to Pa.

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