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Local county governments is the Marcellus Shale gas drilling regions of Pennsylvania like the Governor’s idea of an impact fee on gas drilling companies.  However, county officials prefer that the impact fee be administered by the Commonwealth and monies distributed by the state.  Under the current proposal counties without drilling rigs would receive zero monies for upkeep of their roads and infrastructure.  The thirteen lawyers at DLP–PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS AND MARCELLUS SHALE DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT LAWYERS  continue to follow this and other gas drilling issues in Pennsylvania.

Voters in an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh have convienced a local judge to allow a referendum on the November, 2011 ballot to ban gas drilling in the community.  Residents of Peters Township, Pennsylvania will be the first municipality to vote on permitting drilling rigs in their town.  Township officials had fought to keep the issue off the ballot.  Township officials may appeal.  The thirteen (13) lawyers at DOUGHERTY LEVENTHAL & PRICE LLP—PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS AND MARCELLUS SHALE DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT LAWYERS—continue to follow this and other Marcellus Shale drilling issues in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A science- and energy-based program focusing on Pennsylvania counties with natural gas exploration and production, and developed by a multidisciplinary team of Penn State researchers, is part of a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

“Marcellus Matters: Engaging Adults in Science and Energy” aims to enhance the public’s understanding of science, engineering and energy through community-based activities that promote “doing” science, develop local expertise on energy issues and draw on residents’ knowledge of their environment.

Michael Arthur, professor of geosciences and co-director of the Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research (MCOR), is the principal investigator. Researchers from the colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Education, Arts and Architecture, and Earth and Mineral Sciences as well as others from Earth and Mineral Sciences also are involved in the three-year project.

While Pennsylvania has a history of natural resource extraction, the magnitude of the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry is posing social, economic and environmental challenges for rural communities experience drilling activity.

“This NSF project will address those challenges as it will provide opportunities for the residents of the Marcellus region to gain skills in scientific inquiry and build an understanding of science and energy that can be used in managing change,” Arthur said.
The need for science-based information is critical as discussion about drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is increasingly contentious, with opponents and advocates claiming “facts” in support of their polarized positions. Without sufficient knowledge to evaluate those “facts,” the public is left uncertain about what to believe and who to trust.

Structured around several science, energy and engineering topics, the project will develop a knowledge base to enable and support that evaluation. Among the topics are an overview of the U.S. energy picture including supply and demand, resource needs of energy sources and climate change; perceptions of risk and perspectives on “acceptable” and “unacceptable” risks; and the potential environmental impacts of drilling and development on forest ecosystems, wildlife habitats, water quality and introduction of invasive species.

The project is designed around four closely integrated activities with overlapping content. Those activities are geared to adults because they are in a position to make decisions about land leasing, community regulations and other issues related to Marcellus Shale development.

The activities include the Marcellus Community Scientist Program, modeled after Extension’s successful Master Gardener and Master Naturalist programs; a technology-enabled citizen science program; community-based theater performances on risk and uncertainty; and environmental planning workshops using place-based and data-driven visualizations as a basis for community discussion about the environmental and community changes accompanying Marcellus Shale activity.

The project will be coordinated by the Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, which is supported by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Penn State Outreach. Penn State Extension, which has provided informational sessions on Marcellus Shale development since 2005, will have a key role in project implementation.

“There’s a great need for accurate information about Marcellus Shale development for residents, landowners and local decision makers,” said Tom Murphy, MCOR co-director and an extension educator. “This project will address that need and allow participants to understand the science and research related to Marcellus development in a very clear fashion.”

Posted at: PSU.edu

At separate meetings in Newton Township, Lackawanna County Pennsylvania and Dallas Township, Luzerne County Pennsylvania local government officials met and heard testimony by local residents regarding gas drilling operations in their respective communities.  Residents voiced support for the gas industry along with concerns over water, environmental, safety, home values and other issues.  Local officials listened and are considering local regulations of the gas drilling industry.  The twelve lawyers at Dougherty Leventhal , Price LLP–DLP–PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK LAWYERS and PENNSYLVANIA GAS DRILLING RIG INJURY LAWYERS, continue to follow this and other Marcellus Shale Gas drilling issues in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

Gaovernor Tom Corbett has endorsed a natural gas drilling “impact Fee” for gas develepers in the Marcellus Shale Industry in Pennsylvania.  Governor Corbett has opposed “taxes” on gas drillers, but now looks to obtain monies to pay individual Counties and local municipalities for the extra costs spurred by the expanding gas industry throughout the Commonwealth.   Legislation will be introduced shortly in Harrisburg for implementation of the “impact fee”.  The twelve lawyers at Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP–DLP–PENNSYLVANIA GAS DRILLING INJURY/TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS–continue to monitor this and other Marcellus Shale gas drilling issues.

Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale gas drilling/truck accident lawyers Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP,  DLP  continue to investigate several serious gas drilling truck accident cases in Susquehanna and Bradford Counties Pennsylvanaia.  The twelve (12 ) attorneys at DLP have handled significant truck accident cases throughout Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania for the past twenty five (25) years.

Over 1600 attendees are expected to meet in Philadelphia this week for the first annual Marcellus Shale Gas Convention .  The event is expected to draw gas industry leaders from throughout the Commonwealth and Country.  Governor Tom Corbett and former governors Ed Rendell and Tom Ridge are expected to give speeches touting Pennsylvania as the new gas drilling leader.  The twelve lawyers at Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP,  DLP,  PENNSYLVANIA DRILLING ACCIDENT/TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS,  will follow the events at the convention and report on results at a later date.

Police report that an Arkansas man died while a passenger in a welding vehicle which crashed in Bradford County.  The twelve lawyers at DLP: PENNSYLVANIA GAS DRILLING RIG/AUTO AND TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS–are closely following this breaking story.

In it’s continuing efforts to build out infrastructure to transport the Marcellus Shale natural gas found in Northeastern Pennsylvania to market, a pipe line company reported another drilling mud spill during construction.  The company reports that the drilling mud spill was contained and did not pollute the pristine streams in the construction area.  DEP was called and is on site investigating the spill.  The twelve lawyers at DLP, PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT AND DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT/INJURY LAWYERS, continue to monitor this and other drilling rig issues in Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga, Potter, Wyoming, Sullivan,Lycoming and other locations in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.  

Reports this morning note that gas drilling activities will resume at Cabot Gas drilling sites near Lenox, Pa. after a methane gas pollution scare.  Well water in the area is still being tested for gas. The twelve lawyers at DLP. Pennsylvania gas drilling rig injury/accident lawyers continue to monitor this matter.