pipelines
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of December 15, 2025
Methane Emissions: EPA Extends Deadline for Compliance with Methane Emissions Limits⚡
On December 3, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule, titled “Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review: Extension of Deadlines in Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources,” which extends the time in which oil and gas facilities have to comply with methane emission standards (40 CFR part 60, subparts OOOb, OOOc). In March of 2024, the previous administration set new source performance standards for oil and gas sources facilities. The new 2025 rule extends the compliance […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of December 1, 2025
GHG Emissions: Pennsylvania Repeals RGGI as Part of FY2025-2026 Budget Signing ⚡
On November 12, 2025, Governor Josh Shapiro announced he was signing the FY2025-2026 budget into law. As a part of this, Shapiro signed House Bill 416. This bill abrogates or repeals 25 Pa. Code Chapter 145, removing Pennsylvania from RGGI. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a program that limits carbon dioxide emissions from large fossil-fuel power plants and requires generators to hold allowances equal to their emissions. Participating RGGI states establish an individual CO2 Budget Trading Program, where generators may purchase allowances for […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of November 17, 2025
Pipelines: FERC Releases Environmental Assessment for the Heartland Project ⚡
On October 10, 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released an environmental assessment prepared for ANR Pipeline Company’s Heartland Project in Wisconsin. The proposal aims to supply up to 473,000 dekatherms per day of additional firm transportation capacity and involves approximately 68.9 miles of new pipeline, 1.5 miles of replacement pipeline, three new compressor stations, two new meter stations, upgrades to existing metering facilities, and modifications to related infrastructure. FERC states that the assessment was completed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and concludes that the […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of November 3, 2025
Pipelines: PA DEP Approves Permits for Pennsylvania Sections of Northeast Supply Enhancement Project ⚡
On November 1, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) published notice in Pennsylvania Bulletin, approving parts of the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project. The DEP approved compressor stations in Lancaster and Chester counties, and the Quarryville Pipeline loop. Once completed, the loop will be roughly ten miles long, and travel through four townships in two counties. The entire Northeast Supply Enhancement Project will total 37 miles across three states and is estimated to increase firm gas supply by 13%.
LNG Exports: Regulatory Dispute Over Second […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of October 27, 2025
Public Lands: Congressional Review Act Invoked Against BLM Management Plans ⚡
On October 8, 2025, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) aimed at overturning the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) resource management plan (RMP) for the Miles City Field Office in Montana. The Senate also voted to approve similar resolutions of the North Dakota Field Office and the Central Yukon RMPs, after the House passed all three resolutions earlier in September. The Miles City Field Office RMP, which was effective as of November 20, 2024, designated zero acres of BLM-administered coal lands […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of October 13, 2025
Water Quality: Appeal Filed After Court Denies Injunction in New Freeport Water Contamination Case ⚡
On September 15, 2025, The Center for Coalfield Justice announced that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania denied a request for preliminary injunction in a class action lawsuit involving residents of New Freeport’s claims of water contamination. Hice v. EQT Corp., No. 2:24-cv-896 (W.D. Pa. June 20, 2024). In the class action complaint, residents alleged that EQT negligently “injected hazardous chemicals and industrial waste into the water supply of surrounding residents” as part of their gas drilling operations. In denying […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of September 15, 2025
Pipelines: FERC Reissues Transco’s Permit to Construct Northeast Supply Enhancement Project ⚡
On August 28, 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company’s (Transco) petition to construct and operate a pipeline system expansion in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. In 2019, FERC issued Transco a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which allowed them to construct the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project. However, the authorization was contingent on Transco placing the project into service by May of 2021. Due to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of September 8, 2025
State Regulation: PA DEP Accepting Bids to Plug Orphaned Wells ⚡
On Saturday, August 23, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection published a notice about plugging abandoned wells. Currently, there are seven orphaned wells identified, located in Smith, North Strabane, North Franklin and Canton Townships and Washington County. The wells are anticipated to be between 1,000 and 3,400 feet in depth, and the winner of the bid will be responsible for cleaning and plugging the wells. Bidding will open on September 18, 20205.
Wastewater Disposal: Notices of Violation Issued for Failure to Report Waste Disposal from Oil Wells in Pennsylvania
On August […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of September 1, 2025
Wastewater Disposal: Iron Cumberland Cited for Waste Disposal Violations by DEP ⚡
On August 12, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Iron Cumberland, LLC, under 58 Pa.C.S. §3203 of the Oil and Gas Act, relating to two conventional gas wells in Greene County. According to the notice, the operator was disposing of produced fluid from the two wells at Coal Refuse Disposal Areas in violation of 25 Pa. Code §§ 78.54, 78.55(a), and 78.55(b). This section of Pennsylvania law require operators to manage residual waste in a manner that prevents pollution […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of July 14, 2025
National Energy Policy: Department of Energy Revises NEPA Regulations ⚡
On June 30, 2025, the Department of Energy (DOE) published an interim rule removing its current National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and issuing new guidelines. NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare environmental impact statements before approving major projects. This rule would remove NEPA obligations for natural gas imports or exports “to countries with which the United States has a free trade agreement.” Further, NEPA will also only apply to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) final actions, not any proposed rules. This rule comes after the Supreme Court’s […]
