Gas at a Glance

WOMEN VOTERS SPONSOR SCRANTON GAS FORUM ON JANUARY 20

The League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County will present a forum on Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction on January 20, at 7:00 p.m. in Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall at the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA. Sponsored in partnership with the university’s Task Force on Sustainability, the forum will include speakers from the natural gas industry, the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Penn Future environmental advocacy group. Snow date is January 27.

CITIZENS RALLY PLANNED FOR JANUARY 25

A citizens rally and lobby day to “protect New York’s air, land and water from the consequences of hydro-fracking” is being organized by more than 30 groups for January 25 in Albany. The rally will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by meetings with legislators. Among the targeted topics is the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), which received 12,576 comments. A bus is being organized to depart from Narrowsburg, NY by Bernie Handler at a cost of $30 per person. Participation is open to all members of the community. For more information contact Handler at berniehandler@yahoo.com or call 570/224-8231. Participants are urged to register in advance at www.citizenscampaign.org/special_features/hydrofrackingcenter.asp to ensure effective planning for lobbying efforts. Additional buses are being organized by Catskill Mountainkeeper.

SENATE COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON WASTEWATER ISSUES

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21), will hold a public hearing January 27 at 9:00 a.m. on Marcellus Shale natural gas wastewater treatment in Hearing Room 1 of the Capitol’s North Office Building in Harrisburg, PA.

The committee expects to hear from Department of Environmental Protection officials, industry representatives and others on the treatment and handling of wastewater related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling. Following the hearing, testimony, transcripts and video will be posted on the committee website at www.senatormjwhite.com .

HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FIGHT ESCALATES IN NEW YORK

“Democracy Now” reports that dozens of New York State and City legislators and environmental activists gathered on the steps of City Hall on January 4 to urge Governor Paterson to step back from the Department of Environmental Conservation’s SGEIS. Some participants called for a statewide ban, while others called for additional investigations. Visit www.democracynow.org/blog/2010/1/5/the_fight_against_hydraulic_fracturing_is_heating_up_in_new_york_state to view coverage of the event.

CHESAPEAKE EXPANDS NATURAL GAS MARKET IN NEW YORK CITY

Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc., a subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, has entered into an agreement to be the largest of three anchor shippers on a new Spectra Energy Corp natural gas pipeline project to serve the growing New York City metropolitan area natural gas market. Spectra Energy will construct facilities on its Algonquin Gas Transmission and Texas Eastern Transmission pipeline systems, including approximately 16 miles of 30-inch pipeline from Staten Island to Manhattan. The completed pipeline will provide a new interconnect with facilities of Consolidated Edison of New York. The expansion is expected to be in service by year-end 2013.

This is the first major pipeline expansion in the Northeast U.S. designed to transport Chesapeake’s rapidly expanding Marcellus Shale natural gas production, and will likely be followed by other pipeline expansion projects from the Marcellus to other high-value Eastern U.S. markets. The New York City metropolitan area is the logical first expanded distribution delivery point for this production based on proximity to the Marcellus. Chesapeake is both the largest leasehold owner and most active driller in the Marcellus Shale, with more than 1.5 million net acres owned and 23 operated rigs currently drilling.