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Energy News

PA Supreme Court to Hear Act 13 Arguments

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments related to its December, 2013 decision regarding the state’s Act 13. In an order just published, the court determined that it would take up several unresolved issues, but it would not revisit its interpretation of article 1, section 27 of the state constitution, also known as the Environmental Rights Amendment. In the Court’s 2013 decision, it ruled that it would be unconstitutional for the state to preempt local zoning decisions.

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DEP Accepting Applications for 2016 Environmental Education Grants

Projects and programs geared toward environmental education are now eligible to apply for grants from the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Environmental Education Grants. Schools, colleges and universities, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and businesses can to apply for the grants. The application period runs through December 18.

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Senate Approves Place as PUC Commissioner

Andrew G. Place joined the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on October 1, 2015, one day after receiving the unanimous approval of the Pennsylvania Senate. Commissioner Place was nominated by Gov. Wolf in May and his term will continue until April 1, 2020.

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Judge Dismisses Land Owner Challenges to Mariner East 2

A Cumberland County judge has sided with Sunoco Pipeline against three landowners who challenged the company’s right to exercise eminent domain over their property in order to construct a second natural gas pipeline.

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OH General Assembly Wants to Push the Pause Button on Green Energy Standards

A group of Ohio’s legislators want to freeze attempts at a green energy standard indefinitely. Current standards require utilities to cut energy use by 22 percent and increase the use of renewable energy sources by 12.5 percent by 2025.

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Energy Overhaul Legislation Prospects Dim

House lawmakers have worked for months with an agreement between Republican and Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee that they would agree on all changes proposed on the next energy bill. But last week, with Democrats insisting on stronger climate change language, Chairman Fred Upton turned off the lights on any broad bipartisan agreement on an energy strategy that included four titles. The result is probably the death of any possibility Congress can pass the first major update in energy legislation since 2007.

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EPA Announces Changes to Ozone Levels; Could Changes Come to Clean Air Act?

Last week the EPA announced that it was lowering the ceiling on the country’s ozone standard from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. The EPA says its decision was based on “extensive scientific evidence about ozone’s effects on public health and welfare.”

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Bush Announces Energy Policy in Marcellus Country

Last week, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush chose the headquarters of natural gas developer Rice Energy in Canonsburg, Washington County to release his energy policy for the US. The campaign has posted the energy policy on its website.

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Senate Committee Defeats Amendment to Eliminate Corn-Ethanol Blending

An amendment introduced by Pat Toomey, was defeated in the Senate Banking Committee by a vote of 7 – 15.

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Marcellus Shale Coalition Responds to Proposed Article 78 Changes

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) sees more harm than good coming from the state’s proposed changes to how companies handle their above-ground drilling operations that include lost jobs and higher taxes.

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