Pennsylvania’s gas-well revenue down as price, drilling drop
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s counties and municipal governments will see the lowest level of annual fee revenue they get from Marcellus Shale gas wells, as drilling slowed and prices sank during the pandemic. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said Monday that impact fee revenue from Marcellus Shale wells sank to $146 million from drilling activity in 2020, down $54 million from the year before. Lawmakers authorized the fee in 2012. But the average price of natural gas in 2020 was $2.08 per unit, down from $2.63 in 2019. Pennsylvania also saw the fewest number of new wells drilled than in any year since the law was enacted.

Republicans aim again to block governor’s climate strategy
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans who control Pennsylvania’s Legislature are reprising a fight from last year, passing legislation to require Gov. Tom Wolf to go through them if he wants to impose a price on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The bill passed 35-15 in the Senate on Monday, a veto-proof majority for a bill that Wolf’s office says he’ll veto. The bill still must go to the House. Wolf last year vetoed a similar bill to prevent him from unilaterally bringing Pennsylvania into the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Wolf’s top priority to fight climate change. The organization sets a price on carbon dioxide emissions emitted by fossil fuel-fired power plants.

Governor Wolf Appoints 19 Members to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced the appointment of 14 new commissioners and reappointment of 5 returning commissioners to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs.

“It is an honor to welcome our new and returning commissioners to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “My administration is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and our work to implement policies, programs and services that help Pennsylvanians – especially Black Pennsylvanians – is informed and improved by the work of this commission. Thank you to all of our commissioners for your dedication to serving your fellow Pennsylvanians.”

The Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs (GACAAA) was established by Executive Order 2015-07, to serve as the commonwealth’s advocate agency for the African American community in Pennsylvania. GACAAA’s mission is to ensure that state government is accessible and accountable by advising the governor on policies, procedures, legislation and regulations. GACAAA also works to expand and enhance the civic, social, educational, cultural and economic status of the African American Community.

The new members of the Commission held their first meeting virtually on Friday, June 11, 2021 to establish GACAAA policy priorities for the year.

The GACAAA members include:

Commissioners:
Idris Abdul-Zahir, Philadelphia
Hasshan Batts, Lehigh
Rev. Dr. Malcolm Byrd D. Min, Philadelphia
Lauren Enlow, Philadelphia
Chioma Azi, Esquire, Philadelphia
Nasaiah Izon Hoskins, Monroe
Cynthia L. James, Allegheny
Glynis M. Johns, Lackawanna
Chantay Love, Philadelphia
Andita N. Parker Lloyd, Luzerne
Anette Nance, MSW, Allegheny
Shamelle Price-Wheeler, Allegheny
Oni Richards, Philadelphia
Wanda Richards, Montgomery
Haniyyah B. Sharpe-Brown, Philadelphia
Rev. Walter S. Thomas, Jr., Dauphin
Kyasha C. Tyson, Philadelphia
Dwan Walker, Beaver
Ivan Watson, Philadelphia

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Higher as Crude Oil Prices Continue to Climb
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are one cent higher this week at $3.251 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.251
Average price during the week of June 7, 2021                                        $3.240
Average price during the week of June 15, 2020                                      $2.354

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.155      Altoona
$3.256      Beaver
$3.257      Bradford
$3.255      Brookville
$3.257      Butler
$3.269      Clarion
$3.245      DuBois
$3.253      Erie
$3.254      Greensburg
$3.257      Indiana
$3.254      Jeannette
$3.253      Kittanning
$3.257      Latrobe
$3.243      Meadville
$3.267      Mercer
$3.228      New Castle
$3.265      New Kensington
$3.259      Oil City
$3.252      Pittsburgh
$3.255      Sharon
$3.272      Uniontown
$3.259      Warren
$3.244      Washington

Trend Analysis:

At $71 per barrel, crude oil has increased to its highest price since October 2018 and is now $23 per barrel more expensive than it was this past January. Crude prices have steadily climbed this year along with optimism for the COVID-19 vaccine and the promising impact it will have for global gasoline demand. Additionally, crude prices were bolstered by the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) report revealing that total domestic crude supplies decreased by 5.2 million barrels to 474 million barrels last week. For this week, crude prices could continue to rise if EIA’s report shows another inventory decline.

 

Motorists are paying, on average, 37% more to fill up than the start of the year. Prices for the rest of the month are likely to push more expensive, but if crude production increases as forecasted, there is the possibility of seeing some relief at the pump later this summer.

 

Today’s national gas price average is $3.08, which is three cents more on the week, a nickel more on the month and 98 cents more on the year. The latest increases at the pump are attributed to the steady climb in crude prices, especially as gasoline demand decreased (−670,000 barrels per day) and gasoline supply increased (+7 million barrels), according to the latest EIA data.

 

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Total Distribution Tops $2 Billion to Pennsylvania Communities

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today posted detailed information about this year’s distribution of impact fees on natural gas producers – totaling $146,254,725 – on the PUC’s Act 13 website.

County and municipal governments directly affected by drilling will receive a total of $71,488,645.52 for the 2020 reporting year. Additionally, $51,032,424.77 will be transferred to the Marcellus Legacy Fund, which provides financial support for environmental, highway, water and sewer projects, rehabilitation of greenways and other projects throughout the state. Also, $23,733,627.60 will be distributed to state agencies, as specified by Act 13.

With this year’s distribution, the PUC over the past ten years,
as collected and distributed over $2 billion to communities across Pennsylvania.

The PUC has forwarded the information to the Department of Treasury for payment and expects checks to be distributed in early July.

This year’s distribution is approximately $54 million lower than last year, driven primarily by the average price of natural gas in 2020 ($2.08 per MMBtu) versus the average price in 2019 ($2.63 per MMBtu) which caused a lower impact fee payment for each well in 2020 – along with the fewest number of new wells than in any year since the passage of Act 13.

The distributions for individual municipalities are detailed on the PUC’s Act 13 website.

Extensive details regarding the impact fee distribution are available online, including specifics on funds collected and distributed for each year since 2011. Visitors can search and download statistics such as distributions to individual municipalities or counties; allocation and usage of those funds, based on reports submitted by various municipalities; eligible wells per county/municipality; and payments by producers.

The PUC is responsible for implementing the collection and distribution of an unconventional gas well fee (also called an Impact Fee), established by the Unconventional Gas Well Impact Fee Act and signed into law as Act 13 of 2012.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 269 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

PAC003-005-007-009-013-019-021-023-027-031-033-035-047-051-053-
057-059-061-063-065-073-087-111-121-125-129-142200-
/O.NEW.KWNS.SV.A.0269.210614T1545Z-210614T2200Z/

PA
.    PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

ALLEGHENY            ARMSTRONG           BEAVER
BEDFORD              BLAIR               BUTLER
CAMBRIA              CAMERON             CENTRE
CLARION              CLEARFIELD          CLINTON
ELK                  FAYETTE             FOREST
FULTON               GREENE              HUNTINGDON
INDIANA              JEFFERSON           LAWRENCE
MIFFLIN              SOMERSET            VENANGO

Justices defer Harvard case on race in college admissions
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — With abortion and guns already on the agenda, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court is considering adding a third blockbuster issue: whether to ban consideration of race in college admissions. The justices Monday put off a decision about whether they will hear an appeal claiming Harvard discriminates against Asian American applicants, in a case that could have nationwide repercussions. The court asked the Justice Department to weigh in on the case, a process that typically takes several months. The presence of three appointees of former President Donald Trump could prompt the court to take up the case, even though it’s been only five years since its last decision in a Texas case about affirmative action in higher education.