CEPM

Center for Energy Policy and Management at

Washington & Jefferson College

Energy Updates

Dec 17, 2020

State Suspends Review of Proposed Gas Well at Steel Mill

State review of a proposed natural gas well at an Allegheny County steel mill has been suspended after the developer’s municipal permit...

Dec 3, 2020

Wolf Vetoes Bill to Loosen Regulations on Conventional Gas Drillers

Legislation to relax Pennsylvania laws governing conventional oil and gas drillers was recently passed by the state Senate, but vetoed...

Dec 3, 2020

Governor Wolf Signs Pipeline Emergency Response Plan Bill into Law

Pipeline constructors and operators will now be on the hook for emergency management plans for their projects. Pennsylvania Governor Tom...

Nov 19, 2020

Bill to Amend the Clean Streams Act Enters State House

Senate Bill 619, introduced by state Senator Gene Yaw (R -23) is now in the House of Representatives. The bill is intended to lessen the...

Nov 19, 2020

Pa. Regulators Block Restart of Pipeline That Exploded

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has prohibited the operator of a pipeline that exploded in 2018 from putting...

Nov 12, 2020

PA Opens Public Comment Period on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Pennsylvania is poised to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). More than a year since Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf...

Nov 12, 2020

EPA Sued Over Flaring at Gas Processing, Industrial Facilities

A coalition of 10 environmental groups is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for what it claims are outdated standards for...

Nov 5, 2020

Second Cracker Plant Project Moving Ahead Despite Permit Issue

Whether a second petrochemical plant in the Appalachian region becomes a reality depends on a final investment decision by the...

Nov 5, 2020

Gas Well at Allegheny County Steel Mill Faces Zoning Setback

A proposal to put an unconventional gas well on the site of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works in Allegheny County illustrates how residents...

Oct 8, 2020

Pipeline Companies Penalized for Erosion Violations in Southwestern Pa.

Two pipeline companies have agreed to pay significant monetary penalties for pipeline slips and erosion and sedimentation problems that...

Sep 24, 2020

Financial Woes Continue for Region’s Natural Gas Industry

Appalachian gas drilling companies continued to spill red ink during the second quarter of 2020 despite cutting spending on new wells, a...

Sep 10, 2020

Study Analyzes Costs of Increased Setback Regulations

Setbacks are just one of the many regulatory mechanisms used to control natural gas extraction. Using Colorado as a case study,...

Sep 10, 2020

Rule Allowing LNG Transport by Railcar Being Challenged

A new federal rule that would allow trains to carry bulk liquefied natural gas (LNG) by railcar across the country has been met with a...

Aug 13, 2020

EPA Expected to Rollback Regulations on Methane Emissions

In a move both praised and criticized by the natural gas industry, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has lifted existing...

Aug 6, 2020

Landmark Environmental Law Changes to Streamline Gas Pipeline Reviews

A landmark 1970 environmental law is being overhauled by the Trump administration to streamline reviews of infrastructure projects,...

Aug 6, 2020

As Focus Shifts, PA Energy Industry Undergoes Change

Americans have been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice issues since March. Despite the Pa. attorney general’s recent...

Jul 30, 2020

CNX Fined $310,000 for Environmental Violations

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection levied a $310,000 fine against Canonsburg-based CNX Gas Company (CNX) and its...

Jul 30, 2020

PA Attorney General Charges Two More Gas-Related Companies

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro began his term with the oil and gas industry in his sights. Since taking office in 2017, AG...

Jul 23, 2020

Study Analyzes O&G Disclosure Policies

Contributed by Senior Student Research Fellow Grace Kovalan When it comes to unconventional oil and gas production, transparency is key....

Jul 23, 2020

Revised Petrochemical Tax Break Approved by PA Legislature

Months after Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a bill incentivizing petrochemical companies to open up shop in the Commonwealth, a new bill with...

The latest energy news with an emphasis on southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.