PA Marcellus Topped 2 Trillion Cubic Feet Of Gas In 2012

English: Cropped portion of image from USGS report showing extent of Marcellus Formation shale (in gray shading). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pennsylvania’s Marcellus and other shale wells produced more than 2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2012, continuing a trend of production growth despite fewer drilling rigs in the field.

New production data reported by natural gas drilling companies and released by the state Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday showed that 1.1 trillion cubic feet of gas flowed from unconventional wells in the state during the second half of 2012.

The wells produced an average of 6.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day between July and December, or enough to fulfill about 9 percent of the nation’s daily natural gas demand.  The U.S. consumed about 70 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day in 2012, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/pa-marcellus-topped-2-trillion-cubic-feet-of-gas-in-2012-1.1447325

PPL Goes Before U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court building. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments from PPL Corp. and federal tax authorities in a case whose outcome could determine the fate of billions of dollars in corporate profits.

The dispute, two decades in the making, involves a British tax imposed on PPL of Allentown after it bought one of many businesses privatized by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

At issue, specifically, are U.S. tax breaks for companies that pay foreign taxes. U.S. multinationals and lawmakers are watching closely — not only because the Obama administration has taken a very public stance against such tax breaks, but also because the nine Supreme Court justices rarely hear tax cases.

“The IRS recognizes the stakes in this case are broader than this particular [British] tax,” said Dirk Suringa, a former Treasury official, now a partner at law firm Covington & Burling.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/mc-sumpreme-court-hears-ppl-case-20130220,0,3330844.story

Colebrookdale Agrees To Continue Police Merger Discussions

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COLEBROOKDALE — Township commissioners are in agreement to continue talks about a possible merger between the Boyertown and Colebrookdale police departments.

The commissioners reviewed a preliminary budget drawn up by the managers of both jurisdictions and unanimously agreed at their Feb. 19 meeting to move ahead in discussions with Boyertown borough officials.

With an estimated budget of nearly $2 million, the commissioners discussed ways of combining staff and appropriating costs, including how to fund pension plans. A meeting with pension representatives from both Boyertown and Colebrookdale is scheduled for March 28.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130220/NEWS01/130229904/colebrookdale-agrees-to-continue-police-merger-discussions#full_story

Pottstown Police: Hundreds Of Parking Tickets Turn Into Citations

POTTSTOWN — Hundreds of unpaid parking tickets issued in the borough turned into citations late last week.

After receiving a pair of warnings, those that haven’t paid off parking or other related tickets will now be dealing with citations in court, according to Pottstown Police Chief Rick Drumheller.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130220/NEWS01/130229925/pottstown-police-hundreds-of-parking-tickets-turn-into-citations#full_story