http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com A Law Blog hosted by Wed, 12 May 2010 17:48:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "Commissioner Cawley began the en banc hearing today on Marcellus Shale jurisdictional issues by announcing that there has been so much interest in providing testimony to the Commission that the PUC will hold a second en banc hearing at 1 pm on June 16." "Chairman Cawley, during his questioning of the ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/118 By Carl B. Everett, Esquire, Saul Ewing LLP, ceverett@saul.com EPA published proposed amendments to the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Rule (40 CFR Part 98) in the April 12, 2010 Federal Register.  Of interest to Marcellus Shale activities, the proposal would expand the Reporting Rule to reach GHG emissions from onshore natural gas production, natural ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/113 By Megan E. King, Esquire Saul Ewing LLP   In the Kilmer case, the Supreme Court addressed, in extraordinary jurisdiction to speed the resolution of a pure legal question of first impression, whether the Guaranteed Minimum Royalty Act ("GMRA"), 58 P.S. 33 precludes parties from contracting to use the net-back method to determine ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/110 By Andrew T. Bockis Saul Ewing LLP Harrisburg   The Department of Environmental Protection is currently soliciting public comment on changes it is proposing to make to its Oil and Gas regulations.  The Department’s proposed changes can be viewed by clicking here.  According to the Department, the proposed changes are part of an effort to ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/108 By Andrew T. Bockis and Joel R. Burcat Saul Ewing, LLP, Harrisburg, PA   On February 1, 2010, Governor Rendell signed into law House Bill 1847, which amends the Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act, 52 P.S. §§ 30.51 – 30.66.  The amendments, known as the Coal Bed Methane Dispute Resolution Act (P.L. ___, ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/106 Carl B. Everett, Esq. Saul Ewing, LLP Philadelphia   On January 12, 2010, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission ordered natural gas drilling company Novus Operating, LLC to cease all water related activities at two Marcellus Shale drilling pad sites in Tioga County and to cease drilling.  The company had begun drilling two wells despite ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/102 The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality took air samples from more than 100 shale gas production facilities in Fort Worth, Texas and found no hazardous air pollution.  The TCEQ announced yesterday the results from their mid-December study in which they sampled for 22 volatile organic compounds, finding no hazardous levels of ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/97 The opening of bids for gas leases on 32,000 acres of Pennsylvania's 2.1 million acres forest controlled by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources exceeded the $2,000 per acre minimum bid by more than double, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.  In addition to the primary payment of $128.5M, royalties ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/94 By:  Joel R. Burcat, Esquire, Saul Ewing LLP, Harrisburg, PA   The hottest legal issue right now affecting Marcellus gas exploration is Pennsylvania's Minimum Royalty Act litigation.  This is the subject of numerous cases that have been filed in state and Federal courts, several judicial opinions and, most importantly, one case pending ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/89 In a struggling economy nothing would be more noticeable than private capital investment from a strong industry, generating jobs.   And so it goes in this timely article from the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, cataloguing the specific areas of development activity and new employment emerging in Lycoming County.  The article can be accessed ... http://marcellusshale.saulnews.com/archives/87