Gas drilling/Marcellus shale
Health care company seeks gas drilling facts
Associated Press PITTSBURGH - Some people are absolutely sure gas drilling threatens public health, while others are absolutely sure it doesn't.
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Fracking a wedge for N.Y. farmers
Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. - When Dan Fitzsimmons looks across the Susquehanna River and sees the flares of Pennsylvania gas wells, he thinks bitterly of the riches beneath his own land locked up by the heated debate that has kept hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, out of New York.
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All about industry
At least 1,000 people, 283 exhibitors and souvenir pens aplenty were on hand Saturday at the Tri-County Oil & Gas Expo at the Washington County Agricultural Fair and Expo Center in Arden.
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Energy, election focus of rally

Click to view video.
ARDEN - The message was brief and directed to those who no doubt support it. About 1,300 exhibitors attending a private "Vote 4 Energy" rally Friday in advance of today's Tri-County Oil & Gas Expo at the Washington County Fairgrounds were urged to vote for candidates at all levels who will support energy policies that will help create jobs and advance the country's economy.
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Independence Twp. approves gas lease
AVELLA - A lease with Range Resources was approved by the Independence Township supervisors Wednesday night. The lease will allow Range to extract natural gas under the township's park. However, no drilling rigs will be installed on the property.
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Vt. first state to ban hydraulic fracturing
MONTPELIER, Vt. - Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law Wednesday the nation's first ban on a hotly debated natural gas drilling technique that involves blasting chemical-laced water deep into the ground.
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Drilling boosts local tax revenue
A study of sales tax collections for Pennsylvania counties where drilling into the Marcellus Shale occurred between 2007 and 2011 shows an increase in state and local tax collections, with Greene County having the second-most dramatic increase in the state.
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Hikers enlisted to monitor drilling violations on area nature trails
People who hike Pennsylvania trails are being tapped for assistance in monitoring the natural gas drilling industry. With 3.5 million hikers in Pennsylvania, it is hoped that the men and women who regularly use the trails will report possible drilling violations as well as other trail violations, such as the illegal use of mountain bikes, all-terrain vehicles or snowmobiles on areas marked only for hiking or on state forest roads.
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Residents: Pa. ignoring their health complaints
Associated Press PITTSBURGH - The Pennsylvania Department of Health says it investigates every claim by residents that gas drilling has caused health problems, but several people say the agency's actions don't match its words.
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Searchable Databases
for Washington and Greene counties
Drillers wrangle over N.Y. limits, bans
Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. - With all the restrictions in proposed state regulations and local bans, gas companies say about half of their lease holdings in the lucrative Marcellus Shale region in New York state will be off-limits or inaccessible to drilling if the state gives the green light to developers this year.
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More legal maneuvering in Pa. drilling act lawsuit
 Yet more legal maneuvering in the lawsuit over the constitutionality of the new state gas law took place Thursday. The plaintiffs in the suit, which include Cecil, Peters, Robinson and Mt. Pleasant townships, are asking the court to rule on whether portions of Act 13, the state's oil and gas drilling law, are constitutional. They would like the court to make a summary judgment ruling during the week of June 4 without it moving to trial.
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Chevron files with DEP intent to address Robinson spill site
As part of its efforts to clean up a spill at a natural gas well site in Robinson Township, Chevron on Friday formally submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection a notice of intent to remediate the site.
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Arguments scheduled in Pa. Act 13 lawsuit
The lawsuit filed against the state's oil and gas drilling law will be argued before the state's nine-member Commonwealth Court in June. Arguments will take place between June 4 and 8 in Harrisburg. Also, according to an order issued Wednesday, a representative from natural gas trade organizations and companies will be allowed five minutes to state their objections to the suit, which asks that portions of Act 13 be overturned on constitutional grounds.
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DEP to monitor plaza following evacuations
 BURGETTSTOWN - The state Department of Environmental Protection plans to place air monitors outside the Community Medical & Dental Plaza Wednesday in hopes of determining the source of an odor that has resulted in the building being evacuated three times.
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Pa. wells brought in $3.5B last year
By Kevin Begos Associated Press PITTSBURGH - Marcellus Shale gas wells in Pennsylvania generated about $3.5 billion in gross revenues for drillers in 2011, along with about $1.2 billion in West Virginia, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.
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White House issues new hydraulic fracturing rule
New York Times News Service WASHINGTON - The Obama administration Friday issued a proposed rule governing hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on public lands that will for the first time require disclosure of the chemicals used in the process.
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Odor spurs offices' relocation
BURGETTSTOWN - The Community Medical & Dental Plaza in Smith Township will be relocating to 1000 Waterdam Plaza in McMurray after an odor Friday morning caused the third evacuation of the facility since March.
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Wyoming persuaded EPA to delay frack finding
By Mead Gruver Associated Press CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Wyoming's governor persuaded the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to postpone an announcement linking hydraulic fracturing to groundwater contamination, giving state officials - whom the EPA had privately briefed on the study - time to attempt to debunk the finding before it rocked the oil and gas industry more than a month later, an investigation by The Associated Press has found.
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State officials, industry debate future of Ohio's oil, gas tax
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio state officials and the oil and gas industry are painting radically different pictures as they lobby lawmakers to support or oppose Gov. John Kasich's proposal to raise the state severance tax and reduce personal income taxes.
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Dems aim to change Act 13
State Democratic lawmakers are proposing six new bills aimed at changing Act 13, which addresses natural gas drilling throughout Pennsylvania.
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Chesapeake's Aubrey McClendon to give up post as board chairman
Associated Press NEW YORK - Aubrey McClendon said Tuesday he's giving up the chairmanship of Chesapeake Energy Corp. following shareholder complaints that his personal business interests could conflict with those of the company he runs.
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Court denies Act 13 change
A request by the state's Public Utility Commission to modify a preliminary injunction against Act 13, Pennsylvania's new oil and gas drilling law, has been turned down by the Commonwealth Court.
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Briefs
Watershed results to be presented The results of a three-month evaluation of the Pike Run watershed will be presented to the community Wednesday night in the California High School auditorium.
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