Legislation

Fracking In California Under Spotlight As Some Local Municipalities Issue Bans

The Welsh parliament voted against the use of shale gas fracking in Wales, signaling a discontent within U.K. parliaments over proposed shale gas development. “A proposal against shale gas fracking was voted through in the Welsh Assembly late on Wednesday, effectively making it impossible for shale gas developments to receive planning permits in Wales. Environmentalists,… Keep reading →

METHANE

New York’s statewide ban on fracking is a vindication for communities around the country that have been hit hard by unconventional natural gas production, writes Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund’s president, in a Dec. 22 op-ed piece in The Washington Post. It demonstrates what can happen when oil and gas producers erode public trust by brushing… Keep reading →

Fracking In California Under Spotlight As Some Local Municipalities Issue Bans

A Colorado District Court has ruled against Fort Collins’ hydraulic fracturing ban, following a similar ruling that invalidated Longmont’s hydraulic fracturing ban in July. On August 7, 2014, the Larimer County District Court ruled that the City of Fort Collins’ ordinance imposing a five-year ban on hydraulic fracturing is preempted by the Colorado Oil and… Keep reading →

As Default Deadline Nears, Congress Continues Debate Debt Ceiling Plan

Senator Shaheen: “If we can’t do this, it’s going to be very difficult to do anything else on energy policy.” It’s been more than five years since Congress passed a national energy bill. But that doesn’t mean legislators stopped trying. There have been four attempts from Democrats to introduce a national renewable energy standard, with no traction… Keep reading →

Supporters Of Mexico's PRI Party Await Election Results

Proposed amendments to Mexico’s constitution that would open up the country’s energy sector to foreign investment stand a good chance of passing, thanks to a pressing need for revenues and a well-staged political campaign. But the follow-up legislation that sets the tone for foreign investment will be critical to the success of efforts to revitalize… Keep reading →


Virginia may become the first state to actually have an operating offshore wind farm in the water. While approval from the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers is yet to be given, the state could have a 479-foot tall in the water and under test about three miles off Cape Charles on the state’s eastern shore by late next year.

In February, the Interior Department said environmental reviews for wind energy areas off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia did not foresee any “significant environmental impacts” from offshore wind farms. Keep reading →