U.S. District Judge William Young issued an opinion today on his March decision to remand Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s lawsuit against ExxonMobil to state court. While some environmental activists touted today’s issuance of Young’s opinion as “another loss in court for Big Oil” (despite the ruling actually taking place several months ago), this narrow
Read More...... … … Offshore wind projects along the East Coast are being regularly challenged successfully on environmental impact grounds, especially by fishermen. In Massachusetts and New York, fisherman seem to be winning small victories against offshore wind farms. The Edgartown Conservation Commission in Massachusetts denied an underwater cable route off the town’s coastline, citing the potential
Read More...Tom ShepstoneShepstone Management Company, Inc. … … The fractivist mindset is a supremely arrogant one that admits no possibility of error, no chance compromise and nothing but pure antipathy toward others. Yesterday, I ran a post by Jim Willis, from the invaluable Marcellus Drilling News, about a Massachusetts environmental judge’s decision to recommend approval of
Read More...The three municipalities affected by last September’s gas explosions have reached an $80 million settlement with local gas distribution company Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Kallanish Energy reports. Of that amount, 50% will go to Lawrence, 30% to Andover and 20% to North Andover. The utility has already paid $67.1 million of the total settlement amount to
Read More...Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has signed legislation funding an examination of the state’s natural gas distribution system, a move prompted by recent gas pipeline explosions, Kallanish Energy reports. In September, gas explosions and resulting fires in the state’s Merrimack Valley killed one person, injured at least 24, and damaged or destroyed more than 100 homes,
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