In 2012, it was reported that carbon emissions fell to their lowest point since 1994. This was largely due to America’s shift from coal to a much cleaner burning natural gas. The switch from coal to gas has produced important climate gains however environmentalists say that natural gas production comes […]
Legal Voice Blog
Prairie Chickens Legislation is a Compromise Between Industry and Environmental Protection
In March the federal government added the lesser prairie chicken (a type of grouse known for its colorful neck plume) to a list of threatened species. While the designation of “threatened” is still a step below the more commonly known (and more serious) designation of “endangered,” such a decision could […]
Can the EPA use the Clean Air Act to Regulate Greenhouse Gases?
On February 25, 2014, The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main issue is “whether EPA permissibly determined that its regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles triggered permitting requirements under the Clean Air Act for […]
The Choice Between Two Evils: Keystone XL Block May Create More Environmental Harm Than Approval
Since 2008, the Canadian company TransCanada has sought approval to begin construction on a 875 mile pipeline known as the Keystone XL Pipeline. The proposed pipeline would carry both tar sand oil from Canada and lighter oil from the Bakken Formation in the United States and extend from Alberta, Canada […]
Misplaced Argument: Other Sources of Energy Use More Water than Natural Gas
Requiring anywhere from five to seven million gallons of fresh water per well, there’s no doubt that hydraulic fracturing uses a great deal of water. The amount of water necessary for a single well has long been criticized by many anti-fracking groups, and Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin justified banning […]
Bridge Over Troubled Water
The coal industry has an undeniable impact on the state of Pennsylvania. For better or for worse, coal has shaped the energy industry in Pennsylvania. The state has shifted its focus from coal to other natural resources such natural gas and oil from the Marcellus Shale. However, the legacy the […]
Decoding The Amazon: Brazil’s Controversial New Forest Code
The Amazon rainforest is considered one of the world’s most important natural defenses against global warming because of its ability to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide.However, due to deforestation, it is estimated that about 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been lost and the forest continues to shrink […]
US Energy Boom Increases Railroad Safety, Traffic
One of the ancillary benefits associated with the energy boom in the United States is the increase in business experienced by many of the energy industry’s subsidiaries. One such industry are America’s railroads, which have experienced a gigantic influx in business because of the their ability to transfer oil, gas, […]
Shared Interest in Protecting Public Health? A Third Attempt at Assuring the Public that Natural Gas Drilling Can Be Safe
Without a doubt, the natural gas boom in Pennsylvania has significantly benefitted the Commonwealth’s economy. Since Marcellus Shale drilling began in 2008, natural gas development has single-handedly created over 100,000 jobs, provided five-figure windfalls for residents who lease their land, generated an average annual employee salary between $63,904-$81,116 (as compared […]
Pa. Supreme Court Strikes Down Provisions of Act 13
The wait is over. Portions of Act 13 have been ruled unconstitutional by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court one year and two months after oral arguments. On December 19, 2013, the 166 page opinion authored by Chief Justice Castille found the allowance of oil and gas activities in all zoning districts […]