Emissions
Shale Law Weekly Review – January 14, 2020
National Energy Policy: White House Council on Environmental Quality Issues Proposed Regulations Focused on Updating NEPA Review Process
On January 10, 2020, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published in the federal register a notice of proposed rulemaking designed to streamline the existing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations. CEQ acknowledged that it has been more than 40 years since NEPA regulations have been updated and that changes are needed to reflect the Trump administration’s intent to reduce the paperwork burden on federal agencies as well as to minimize administrative delay. CEQ therefore proposes, among other things, […]
Shale Law Weekly Review – January 3, 2020
GHG Emissions: Board Approves Pennsylvania Regulations on Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Oil and Gas Infrastructure
On December 17, 2019, the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board approved proposed regulations affecting oil and natural gas infrastructure in order to reduce volatile organic compound emissions. (25 Pa. Code Chapters 121 and 129). The regulations, Control of VOC Emissions from Oil and Natural Gas Sources, were proposed as part of Pennsylvania’s plan to meet climate change goals. Affected infrastructure under the proposal would include pneumatic controllers, diaphragm pumps, compressors, and storage vessels but would exclude storage infrastructure used in distribution. Oil and gas […]
Shale Law Weekly Review – December 2, 2019
Public Lands: BLM Publishes Draft Environmental Impact Statement for National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
On November 25, 2019, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published notice of availability of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A) in Alaska. The NPR-A is located on Alaska’s North Slope region and includes 23 million acres. The draft EIS includes four management options with analysis on oil and gas exploration, development, and transportation. One option would include maintaining the current oil and gas leasing acreage of 11.8 million acres. Another option would decrease the amount of land leasing availability to 11.4 […]
Shale Law Weekly Review – October 7, 2019
GHG Emissions: Pennsylvania Joins Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
On October 3, 2019, Governor Tom Wolf signed Executive Order Commonwealth Leadership in Addressing Climate Change through Electric Sector Emissions Reductions. The order directs the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and create a similar carbon dioxide budget. RGGI reduces greenhouse gas emissions with a cap-and-trade program for electric power plants. Each of the 9 states in the initiative sets a cap on total allowable emissions, and power plants in these states must purchase credits […]
Shale Law Weekly Review – September 3, 2019
Pipelines: Nebraska Supreme Court Rules Keystone XL Pipeline Route is in the Public Interest
On August 23, 2019, the Nebraska Supreme Court affirmed the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s (NPSC) determination that the Keystone XL pipeline’s alternative route is in the public interest (In re Application No. OP-0003, No. S-17-1331). Landowners and environmental groups intervened, bringing this appeal after NPSC approved the “mainline alternative route” (MAR) for TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline. Addressing the issues raised by the appellants, the court found that NPSC had jurisdiction to consider TransCanada’s application; that TransCanada “met its burden of proof;” that NPSC “properly […]
