Republican Herald Editorial: State Lawmakers Should Adopt Rules That Preclude State Taxpayers From Subsidizing Pollution From Oil & Gas Industry

This editorial was first published in the Republican Herald on October 19, 2022--

Shell Pipeline Co. and a pipeline contractor, Minnesota Limited, have agreed to pay a $670,000 fine for pollution they generated during the construction of the Falcon Pipeline in Western Pennsylvania.

The state Department of Environmental Protection conducted 67 inspections of the pipeline when it was under construction and found that sediment and drilling fluids had leaked into the Ambridge Reservoir, Raccoon Creek, the Ohio River and more than a dozen smaller streams.

Although the case indicates vigilance by the DEP, it says the opposite about the state Legislature.

The Falcon pipeline connects gas processing plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania with the massive Shell petrochemical refinery in Beaver County. 

The plants separate ethane from other gases and liquids extracted from the Marcellus Shale, and ships the ethane to the petrochemical refinery. The refinery converts the ethane into plastic pellets.

Remarkably, while suing the pipeline for environmental violations, the state government also heavily subsidizes the Shell refinery with $1.7 billion in tax credits.

Since first awarding the credits a decade ago, the Legislature has gone all in on such subsidies, awarding them for similar but smaller projects around the state, including for a pipeline in Schuylkill County.

None of those subsidies are contingent upon environmental compliance. So, for example, the Shell petrochemical refinery’s subsidies aren’t affected by the related pipeline’s fine, which amounts to a miniscule fraction of the public subsidy.

Lawmakers should adopt rules that preclude state taxpayers from having to subsidize pollution.

NewsClips:

-- 175 Organizations, 6,751 Individuals Send Letter Urging Full Oil & Gas Fracking Wastewater Ban In Delaware River Basin 

-- Inside Climate News: Sinkholes And Damage Attributed To Mariner East II Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Underline The Stakes In PA’s Governor’s Race

-- Chambersburg Public Opinion: Sharp Divide Between PA Candidates For Governor On Natural Gas, Other Issues

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Environmentalists Fear A Massive New Plastics Plant Near Pittsburgh Will Worsen Pollution, Stimulate Natural Gas Fracking

Related Articles:

-- TribLive Editorial: State Fines Should Be Higher Than Tax Cuts To Penalize Environmental Leaks [PaEN]

-- DEP: Shell, Pipeline Contractor Assessed $670,000 Penalty For Falcon Ethane Pipeline Construction Violations In Allegheny, Beaver, Washington Counties  [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee Reported Out Bill To Deny Counties Drilling Impact Fee Revenue If Only 99% Of The Land In Their County Available For Shale Gas Leasing; Other Bills  [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Dangerous Course For Oil & Gas Well Emissions, Obstructionists Should Get Out Of The Way  [PaEN]

-- PA League Of Women Voters, University Of Pittsburgh Graduate School Of Public Health Host 2022 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference Online Nov. 15-16  [PaEN]

Related Articles - Major Oil & Gas Criminal/Monetary Penalties Last 2 Years:

-- House Committee Fails To Address $70 Million In Penalties On Natural Gas Pipelines Or Real Concerns Of People Living Near Gas Production & Distribution Facilities

-- AG Shapiro: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Convicted Of Criminal Charges Related To Construction Of Mariner East 2 & Revolution Natural Gas/Liquids Pipelines In PA

-- Sunoco/Mariner East Pipeline To Pay $4 Million In Damages And Restore Lake At Marsh Creek State Park Polluted By A Spill In Chester County

-- Federal Court Approves DEP, EPA, DOJ Settlement With Chesapeake Appalachia For Failure To Identify, Protect Wetlands At 76 Gas Well Drilling Sites, $1.9 Million Penalty

-- PUC Imposes $1 Million Penalty On Energy Transfer Company For 2018 Revolution Pipeline Explosion In Beaver County

-- DEP Collects $497,000, Fish & Boat Commission Collects $25,855 In Penalties For Latest Violations Involving Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction In Lebanon County

-- DEP: Range Resources Pays $294,000 Penalty For Delaying The Plugging Of 42 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In 8 Counties

-- DEP: Olympus Energy Natural Gas Driller Fined $175,000 For Water Quality Violations In Allegheny County

-- DEP Collects $147,250 Penalty From Rice Drilling B LLC For Erosion & Sedimentation Violations In Greene County; DEP Found Rice Had Hundreds Of Other Violations, Including Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them

-- DEP Collects $140,000 Penalty From ETC Northeast Field Services For Pipeline Construction Violations In Beaver County

-- DEP Order Requires Payment Of $125,000 Penalty For Latest Revolution Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Violations In Beaver County

-- DEP Collects $85,000 Penalty For Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction Violations In Blair, Cumberland, Juniata, Lebanon Counties

-- AP: PUC Judge: Sunoco/Energy Transfer Failed To Protect Delaware County Community During Construction Of Mariner East Pipeline, $51,000 Penalty Proposed

-- AG Shapiro: Southeast Directional Drilling Pleads Guilty To Contaminating Water Supply In Washington County, To Pay $15,000 Fine

[Posted: October 19, 2022]  PA Environment Digest

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Wednesday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips 10.19.22

Are You Telling Your Story?

Senate returns to session October 19, 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]

     -- Committee Schedule

House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]

     -- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

-- Federal Office Of Surface Mining Recognizes DEP Anthracite Outdoor Adventure - Bear Valley Mine Reclamation Project In Northumberland County With National Award  [PaEN]

-- National Wildlife Federal Blog: Mine-Scarred Land And Orange Rivers - A Story Of Land Degradation And Reclamation In Pennsylvania

-- Nominations Now Being Accepted For 2023 Governor’s Award For Environmental Excellence  [PaEN]

 

-- TribLive Editorial: State Fines Should Be Higher Than Tax Cuts To Penalize Environmental Leaks [PaEN]

 

-- Republican Herald Editorial: State Lawmakers Should Adopt Rules That Preclude State Taxpayers From Subsidizing Pollution From Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

 

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Dangerous Course For Oil & Gas Well Emissions, Obstructionists Should Get Out Of The Way  [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee Reported Out Bill To Deny Counties Drilling Impact Fee Revenue If Only 99% Of The Land In Their County Available For Shale Gas Leasing; Other Bills  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA May Limit Impact Fees For Counties That Ban Natural Gas Development

-- Inside Climate News: Sinkholes And Damage Attributed To Mariner East II Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Underline The Stakes In PA’s Governor’s Race

-- Chambersburg Public Opinion: Sharp Divide Between PA Candidates For Governor On Natural Gas, Other Issues

-- 175 Organizations, 6,751 Individuals Send Letter Urging Full Oil & Gas Fracking Wastewater Ban In Delaware River Basin 

 

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Environmentalists Fear A Massive New Plastics Plant Near Pittsburgh Will Worsen Pollution, Stimulate Natural Gas Fracking

 

-- DailyVoice.com: Natural Gas Leak In ‘High Pressure’ PECO Pipeline In Bucks County Clears Homes, Closes Roads

 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: New Jersey Sues Fossil Fuel Companies Over Climate Change, Citing 10th Anniversary Of Superstorm Sandy

 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: New Jersey Sues 5 Oil Companies, Trade Group Over Climate Disinformation

 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Hydrogen Sulfide [Rotten Egg Smell] Alerts Bring Good And Bad News

 

-- TribLive: Fox Chapel Amends Ordinance To Make It Easier To Use Solar Panels

 

-- Warren Times Editorial: Electric Vehicle Chargers Need To Be Piece Of County Plan

 

-- WHYY: How The Federal Clean Water Act Fixed The Delaware River’s Pollution Problem

 

-- Bay Journal: On 50th Anniversary Of Federal Clean Water Act, Much Progress, But Big Problems Remain

 

-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited: Adams County TU Chapter Awarded South Mountain Partnership Grant 

 

-- TribLive: Students Help With Tree Planting At Miners Memorial Park In Bethel Park 

 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Five Million Trees Planted, Five Million More To Go - Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary Of DCNR

 

-- York Daily Record: Treasure Of The Susquehanna: You Can See And Touch More Than 1,000 Ancient Rock Carvings

 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: October Rains Help Lift Drought Watch For Philly, Nearby Counties

 

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Remains Under Drought Watch Despite Recent Rains

 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Needs To Declare A Time Out On Sale Of Municipal Water & Sewer Systems - Keep Water Affordable

 

-- DEP Took Action On 816 permits, 96% Within Permit Decision Guarantee Deadlines; Conducted 1,186 Inspections; Responded To 6 Environmental Emergencies Last Week 

 

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Launches New PA Preferred Website To Connect Pennsylvanians With PA Products, Farm Destinations

 

-- Scranton Times: The Next Invasive Threat In PA?  A Slithering, Jumping Worm

 

-- Minnich Family Partners With Lebanon Valley Conservancy To Preserve 16-Acre Farm  [PaEN]

 

-- PA Environmental Council Blog: New Developments For PA Outdoor Recreation & Transportation

 

-- Warren Times: Night Sky Program Offered Oct. 21 In Allegheny National Forest

 

-- Saving PA’s Forests Webinar: Oct. 26 Get To Know The Clear Creek State Forest, Noon

 

6th Oil/Natural Gas Spike: True Energy Independence Means Renewables

[There Is No Limit To What Oil/Natural Gas Industry Can Make You Pay]

 

-- October 19, 1973: First Of Six Major Fossil Fuel Embargos For Political Gain, This One By OPEC Over U.S. Aid To Israel [How Many More?]

 

-- Reuters: U.S. Natural Gas Price Falls 4% To 3-Month Low On Mild Weather, European Price Drop

 

-- Bloomberg: Europe’s LNG Import Deluge Spurs Spanish Oversupply Warning

 

-- Freeport TX LNG Facility Explosion Recovery Plan Calls For Initial Resumption Of Operations In Mid-November, With 85% Capacity By End Of November

 

-- Reuters: Time For Europe To Tame Its Energy Cravings

 

-- Reuters: Analysis: Global Natural Gas Crisis Dampens Momentum For ‘Cleaner’ LNG

 

-- Reuters: Oil Prices Tick Up In Volatile Trade, U.S. Plans To Release More Oil From Strategic Reserve In Dec.

 

-- Bloomberg: Oil Prices Stay Volatile As Slowdown Risks Rival Signs Of Tight Supply

 

-- AP: Biden To Release 15 Million Barrels From Oil Reserve, More Possible

 

American Rescue Plan Funding

 

-- $11 Billion In Federal American Rescue Plan Funding To PA State Government, Local Governments Has Yet To Be Invested.  What’s Your Community Doing?

 

Other States/National/International

-- Utility Dive: Wind Power, Solar Energy PPA’s Increased 11.4% And 7.5% In 3rd Quarter Due To Growing Demand, Supply Chain, Transmission Roadblocks

-- Reuters: Global CO2 Emissions To Grow Less Than 1% This Year Thanks To renewables - IEA

-- AP: Climate Questions: Who Is Most Vulnerable To Climate Change?

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

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-- Inside Climate News: Sinkholes And Damage Attributed To Mariner East II Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Underline The Stakes In PA’s Governor’s Race

-- Chambersburg Public Opinion: Sharp Divide Between PA Candidates For Governor On Natural Gas, Other Issues

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Senate Hearing On ‘Parental Rights’ Bill Invigorates Supports, Riles ‘Book Ban’ Foes

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-- WHYY: What You Need To Know Ahead Of The 2022 PA General Election

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-- Inquirer Editorial: As Election Day Nears, U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol Serves As A Reminder Democracy Is On The Ballot

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports September Revenue Was $448.4 Million, 7.89% Increase Over 2021

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-- TribLive: Etna Man Gets 6 Years In Federal Prison For Threatening FBI Agents Online

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-- TribLive: TSA Catches 4 Guns At Pittsburgh Airport In 5 Days

-- Inquirer: Philly DA Asked To Address House Republican Impeachment Committee In Public, The Panel Said No

-- MCall: French Owner Of Lehigh Valley Cement Company Pleads Guilty To Paying Millions Of Dollars To Islamic State To Keep Syrian Plant Open

-- WESA: Post-Gazette Journalists Begin Strike, As Contract Impasse Continues

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[Posted: October 19, 2022]  PA Environment Digest

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