On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided Butler v. Charles Powers Estate, No. 27-MAP-2012 (Pa. Apr. 24, 2013), re-affirming the general presumption in Pennsylvania law that a deed that
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Marcellus Shale
Pennsylvania General Assembly to Consider Requirements for Releases of Record by Oil and Natural Gas Lessees
By Joshua Cohen on
Posted in Oil & Gas
Recently introduced legislation in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly proposes to create new statutory requirements for the release of terminated or cancelled oil or natural gas leases of record. If enacted, House Bill 402 would require lessees under oil or natural gas leases to deliver releases in recordable form to landowners at least 30 days prior to the termination or cancellation of such lease. …
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Natural Gas and Zoning Preemption in Pennsylvania
By David Mandelbaum on
The Commonwealth Court, one of Pennsylvania’s two intermediate appellate courts, invalidated provisions of the Oil and Gas Act Amendments of 2012 (“Act 13”) intended to limit local regulation of natural…
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New Jersey Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Treatment of Fracking Wastewater
By Caleb Holmes on
Posted in State & Local
The New Jersey Senate has passed a bill preventing waste treatment facilities from accepting wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations.
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Preemption and Natural Gas Development: Who is the Decider?
By David Mandelbaum on
Posted in Oil & Gas
An injunction in Robinson Township v. Pa PUC on April 11 and a federal Executive Order on April 13 raise the question of which government ought to be the primary regulator of new natural gas development. David Mandelbaum’s Pennsylvania Law Weekly column, Preemption and Natural Gas Development: Who is the Decider?, 35 PLW 404 (May 1, 2012), explores the issue.
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Pennsylvania Legislature Proposes Amendments to the Oil and Gas Act
By David Mandelbaum on
Posted in Oil & Gas
In my monthly column for the Pennsylvania Law Weekly / Legal Intelligencer, I examine two bills recently proposed by the Pennsylvania legislature, both of which are intended to address Marcellus Shale gas development.
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DRBC Releases Final Draft Regulations on Natural Gas Development
By Caleb Holmes on
Posted in Oil & Gas
The Delaware River Basin Commission has released final draft regulations on natural gas development.
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Governor Corbett Outlines Plan for New Standards, Fees on Shale Drilling
By Caleb Holmes on
Posted in Oil & Gas
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has announced his plans to implement recommendations made by the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, including more rigorous drilling standards and an impact fee.
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New York Issues Draft Fracking Regulations for Public Comment
By Caleb Holmes on
Posted in Oil & Gas
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued its draft regulations on hydraulic fracturing for public comment.
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IHS Report Says EPA Greenhouse Gas Formula Flawed
By Caleb Holmes on
Posted in Oil & Gas
An energy industry group has released a study which claims that EPA overestimated the amount of methane that is flared or vented from gas drilling operations
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