Top News for Pittsburgh & Western Pennsylvania

Kids with asthma who live near heavy air pollution face greater risk from coronavirus

PITTSBURGH—Kids who have asthma and live near industrial polluters may face higher risk from novel coronavirus and its resulting disease COVID-19 in the coming months.

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Shale Gas Was in Trouble, Then Came the Coronavirus - Pittsburgh Quarterly

Shale gas produced by Appalachian region wells slipped 1.8 percent during the last three months. But what seems like a slight decline warns of a coming storm for an industry that has seen production rise consistently—and sometimes dramatically—every year since the gas-rich Marcellus play drew companies to southwestern Pennsylvania in droves more than a decade … Shale Gas Was in Trouble, Then Came the Coronavirus Read More »

pittsburghquarterly.com

DEP, CNX agree to $180K stream restoration to resolve sedimentation violations

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and CNX have agreed to a settlement for several erosion violations at gas drilling sites in Washington and Greene counties.

stateimpact.npr.org

PA: Rep. Mike Doyle picks up Sierra Club endorsement, but challenger says he never received a questionnaire

Doyle's primary election opponent, Jerry Dickinson, says he's disappointed with the Allegheny Group's endorsement and feels the process was not fair to his campaign.

www.pghcitypaper.com

Fluid spills at Lycoming County gas well pad result in fines for contractor

A Lycoming County contractor has pleaded no contest to two charges related to the discharge of approximately 63,000 gallons of treated brine water from a natural gas well pad in 2017.

papost.org

COVID-19’s impact on power, water, and gas companies

StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Susan Phillips talks to `Morning Edition’ host Jennifer Lynn about COVID-19’s effect on power, water, and gas companies.

whyy.org

Allegheny County air pollution enforcement not impacted by temporary EPA enforcement policy

On March 30, the Allegheny County Health Department announced its enforcement of the county's air pollution control regulations will not be impacted by a temporary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enforcement discretion policy.

www.paenvironmentdigest.com

Can air pollution make coronavirus worse? Scientists say yes

Air pollution could make COVID-19 worse possibly in both cases and severity. That's bad news for Pittsburgh.

www.alleghenyfront.org

Unplugged: Pennsylvania faces a new wave of abandoned oil and gas wells

A network of wells, tanks, pipelines, pump houses and roads cut into the Allegheny National Forest in Elk County to harvest $350 million worth of oil. What worries state and federal environmental regulators isn't the project's growth but its death.

newsinteractive.post-gazette.com

Shell applies for waiver to resume work, groups respond

Shell's construction company has applied for a waiver to resume construction at the Beaver County cracker plant, according to union officials.

www.timesonline.com

Financial fallout from coronavirus could devastate the fracking and plastics industries

PITTSBURGH—As the U.S. braces for the social and financial impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, some financial analysts predict that two markets will be among those hit hardest: Fracking and plastics manufacturing.

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Nature scores a big win against fracking in a small Pennsylvania town

After a seven-year battle, Grant Township fought off a permit for an injection well. “Fights like ours should mushroom all around Pennsylvania,” says town supervisor

www.rollingstone.com

U.S. Steel to delay construction on Mon Valley Works complex

U.S. Steel is delaying construction for its $1 billion project at the Mon Valley Works, part of an effort to secure the Pittsburgh steelmaker's long-term future as COVID-19 disrupts oil and gas markets around the world.

www.post-gazette.com

Democracy on hold: States are canceling public meetings amid coronavirus crisis

On April 14, Rosemary Fuller had planned to speak at a public hearing held by Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about a natural gas pipeline that will run 150 feet from her home in the suburbs west of Philadelphia.

grist.org

PUC approves Pittsburgh lead line removal plan

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority also to drop employee residency requirement and end free water for city facilities.

www.post-gazette.com

Why some financial analysts are questioning viability of Appalachian plastics hub

They cite factors like reduced demand for natural gas due to a warmer winter and decreased prices for plastic.

www.alleghenyfront.org

Fracking once lifted Pennsylvania. Now it could be a drag

Natural-gas companies operating in the state were looking shaky before the coronavirus hit. Local economies are now at risk.

www.nytimes.com

PA: State environmental regulator cancels public hearings due to COVID-19

Neil Shader, DEP communications director, said they decided to cancel and not postpone because it’s unclear when the COVID-19 pandemic will be brought under control. 

stateimpact.npr.org