Source: “Legal Insights,” A Publication of Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, LLP, Spring 2011-Volume 5, Issue 1 By: Tara C. Fappiano Deep within the earth is a layer of sedimentary rock that is the gas-rich Marcellus Shale, a substantial portion of which lies in the Southern Tier, Twin Tiers and Catskills region of New York State. Hydro-fracking, […]

Source: New York Times Online, December 18, 2011 Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com Amwell Township is a 44-square-mile plot of steep ravines and grassy pasturelands planted with alfalfa, trefoil and timothy in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania. Its home to some 4,000 people, most of whom live in villages named Amity, Lone Pine and Prosperity. From some […]

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com, December 17, 2011 By: Ashley Portero While hydraulic fracturing has been employed in Western states for years by oil and gas companies seeking to extract valuable natural gas from deep within the ground, the controversial process has remained largely unregulated while simultaneously coming under scrutiny due to concerns about its potentially harmful effects […]

Source: New York Times Online, December 14, 2011 Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com As energy companies move to drill in densely populated areas from Pennsylvania to Texas, battles are breaking out over who will have the final say in managing the shale gas boom. The fight, which pits towns and cities against energy companies and states eager […]

Read here about an announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that fracking may lead to groundwater pollution.

Source: Los Angeles Times, December 8, 2011 Posted on: http://fpn.advisen.com The Environmental Protection Agency said that hydraulic fracturing, a controversial natural gas drilling process, probably contaminated well water in Wyoming, a finding sure to roil the debate about expanding natural gas drilling around the country. The EPA’s new draft report found dangerous amounts of benzene […]

Read here about a lawsuit that has been filed in California to restrict oil and gas development.

Source: The New York Times, November 12, 2011 Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com For those who have ever stalked deer, turkey and bear here in “God’s Country” in north central Pennsylvania, this hunting season is like no other. For one thing, it is louder. The soundtrack of birds chirping, thorns scraping against a hunter’s brush pants and […]

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com, November 6, 2011 By: Joun Murawski To appreciate the promise and betrayal of the nation’s natural gas rush, look no further than this rural community in southwestern Pennsylvania where the 957 residents barely outnumber the dairy cows. Like dozens of farming communities in the state, the countryside here is dotted with drill pads, derricks, […]

Source: Thomson Reuters News & Insight, November 4, 2011 As New York inches closer to approving the controversial gas-drilling method known as hydro-fracking, environmental groups and some state lawmakers are pushing for legislative changes to traditional tort litigation to assist property owners seeking damages if their water or soil is contaminated. State lawmakers are mulling […]

Source: http://www.riskandinsurance.com, October 15, 2011 By: Rob Hughes For engineers and construction professionals, Marcellus Shale presents enticing opportunities, but firms need to weigh risks and seek the advice of a broker as pollution liability insurance policies differ by carrier. As engineering firms and construction professionals seek to capitalize on opportunities presented by the growing number […]

Read here about the EPA’s plans to increase regulation of the natural gas extraction industry.