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Notebook: Marcellus Shale gas on the burner
Sunday, September 05, 2010
By John Hayes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is lobbying hard for the state legislature to levy a severance tax at the wellhead on natural gas extracted from Marcellus Shale.
The "severance" occurs when the resource is "severed" from Pennsylvania and its residents and piped to other states. The gas industry cites concerns that a new tax would stifle business; Fish and Boat, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Gov. Ed Rendell and a growing number of legislators note that Pennsylvania is the only state in the vast Marcellus deposit that does not tax severance. Fish and Boat executives want some of the earnings piped their way to help fund the agency, particularly to offset costs incurred during the monitoring of water that could be impacted by gas and oil drilling.
Executive director John Arway and commissioner Edward Mascharka III (Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties) will speak on the matter Wednesday in Erie at a special public meeting hosted by the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association (7 p.m., American Legion Club, 4109 West 12th Street).
Here's a peek at part of Arway's speech, released last week by Fish and Boat:
"If we received a portion of a severance tax, we could take a collaborative approach with both the industry and the other agencies that are reviewing and advising on projects," it reads. "Ultimately, we would like to have commission staff in position to spend the necessary time reviewing and commenting on projects, working in the field with developers and other agencies and enforcing the water pollution laws of the commonwealth to make sure our resources are protected. I truly believe that the public expect that service from us, and the resources under our jurisdiction depend upon it to survive."
Water scientists meet
A reporter quipped to John Arway that an upcoming Pittsburgh conference of the American Fisheries Society would be "a bunch of scientists using big words."
Arway laughed. "You mean they might talk about Ephemerella needhami?" he joked, referencing the mayfly species. "They're big words about what people might enjoy."
Fish and Boat will host the national organization's 140th annual gathering next week at the Westin Hotel and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Several Fish and Boat biologists will be among scientists presenting projects for peer review, and special time and attention will be given to research regarding the Gulf oil spill.
"It's state governments and the federal government and other scientists working with consulting firms or academia who pay attention to aquatic systems," said Arway. "Their work tells us the story about whether a stream is healthy or not healthy. These are the people who watch the canaries in the coal mine."
Lakes to be drawn down
Water will be released this week from three Southwest Pennsylvania lakes. High Point and Somerset lakes in Somerset County, and Virgin Run Dam in Fayette County, will be drawn down for aquatic weed control.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10248/1084891-358.stm#ixzz0yevQ3v82
Sunday, September 05, 2010
By John Hayes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is lobbying hard for the state legislature to levy a severance tax at the wellhead on natural gas extracted from Marcellus Shale.
The "severance" occurs when the resource is "severed" from Pennsylvania and its residents and piped to other states. The gas industry cites concerns that a new tax would stifle business; Fish and Boat, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Gov. Ed Rendell and a growing number of legislators note that Pennsylvania is the only state in the vast Marcellus deposit that does not tax severance. Fish and Boat executives want some of the earnings piped their way to help fund the agency, particularly to offset costs incurred during the monitoring of water that could be impacted by gas and oil drilling.
Executive director John Arway and commissioner Edward Mascharka III (Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties) will speak on the matter Wednesday in Erie at a special public meeting hosted by the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association (7 p.m., American Legion Club, 4109 West 12th Street).
Here's a peek at part of Arway's speech, released last week by Fish and Boat:
"If we received a portion of a severance tax, we could take a collaborative approach with both the industry and the other agencies that are reviewing and advising on projects," it reads. "Ultimately, we would like to have commission staff in position to spend the necessary time reviewing and commenting on projects, working in the field with developers and other agencies and enforcing the water pollution laws of the commonwealth to make sure our resources are protected. I truly believe that the public expect that service from us, and the resources under our jurisdiction depend upon it to survive."
Water scientists meet
A reporter quipped to John Arway that an upcoming Pittsburgh conference of the American Fisheries Society would be "a bunch of scientists using big words."
Arway laughed. "You mean they might talk about Ephemerella needhami?" he joked, referencing the mayfly species. "They're big words about what people might enjoy."
Fish and Boat will host the national organization's 140th annual gathering next week at the Westin Hotel and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Several Fish and Boat biologists will be among scientists presenting projects for peer review, and special time and attention will be given to research regarding the Gulf oil spill.
"It's state governments and the federal government and other scientists working with consulting firms or academia who pay attention to aquatic systems," said Arway. "Their work tells us the story about whether a stream is healthy or not healthy. These are the people who watch the canaries in the coal mine."
Lakes to be drawn down
Water will be released this week from three Southwest Pennsylvania lakes. High Point and Somerset lakes in Somerset County, and Virgin Run Dam in Fayette County, will be drawn down for aquatic weed control.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10248/1084891-358.stm#ixzz0yevQ3v82
