American Oil and Gas Reporter - April 2021 - 15

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IndustryDigest
Court Stalls Leasing In
Wayne National Forest
COLUMBUS, OH.-A federal judge
has paused oil and gas leasing in Ohio's
Wayne National Forest, ruling that the
Trump administration failed to consider
threats to public health, endangered
species and watersheds before opening
more than 40,000 acres there for
hydraulic fracturing activities,
published reports say.
U.S. District Judge Michael Watson
said the U.S. Forest Service and U.S.
Bureau of Land Management
" demonstrated a disregard for the
different types of impacts caused by
fracturing in the forest. The agencies
made decisions premised on a faulty
foundation. " Watson's ruling requires
the agencies to redo their environmental
analysis of the potential harms from
fracturing in the forest.
The Center for Biological Diversity
notes that the suit began in May 2017,
when it teamed with other antidevelopment groups to sue the agencies
over plans to permit fracturing in the
Wayne, alleging that federal approvals
relied on an outdated plan and ignored
significant environmental threats.
The judge's ruling also held that the
agencies ignored potential harm
fracturing posed to endangered Indiana
bats, the waters of the Little
Muskingum River and the region's air
quality, the group adds.
The BLM's leasing plan would
industrialize Ohio's only national forest
with roads, well pads and gas lines, the
lawsuit asserts.
The lawsuit also aimed to void two
BLM lease sales. The court was to
decide the fate of those leases at a
later date, Center for Biological
Diversity notes. ❒

Pennsylvania Top Court
Stymies Antitrust Suit
HARRISBURG, PA.-In a 6-1
decision that largely overturned a lower
court ruling, The Pennsylvania Supreme
Court in late March sided with
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and forbade
the state Office of the Attorney General
(OAG) from bringing claims against the
company for allegations that it violated
the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices
and Consumer Protection Law
(UTPCPL), published reports indicate.

" The UTPCPL clearly regulates the
conduct of sellers, and it does not
provide a remedy for sellers to
exercise against buyers, " the ruling
states. " For these reasons, we conclude
the OAG may not bring claims under
the UTPCPL on behalf of private
landowners against Anadarko for its
alleged unfair and deceptive practices
in acquiring natural gas leases from
the landowners. "
" We are reviewing this opinion and
have plans to engage legislators on this
matter to update Pennsylvania laws to
better protect those misled by
corporations such as this one, " media
reports quote a spokesperson from the
attorney general's office. ❒

Utah Extends Tax Credits
For Natural Gas Vehicles
WASHINGTON-Utah Governor
Spencer Cox has signed into law HB
91, which NGVAmerica says extends a
state tax credit related to certain
alternative fuel heavy-duty vehicles and
makes technical and conforming
changes to state law.
" This legislation allows for the rapid
adoption of all viable clean
technologies, works to achieve
aggressive emissions reductions, and
provides fleets the flexibility to choose
the best clean vehicle technology
solution that suits their needs, " lauds
NGVAmerica President Dan Gage.
Sponsored by Representative
Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy, and
Senator Lincoln Fillmore R-South
Jordan, Utah HB 91 encourages the
transition of heavy-duty fleets to new
Class 7 & 8 vehicles fueled by natural
gas, electric drivetrain, or hydrogenelectric drivetrain.
" Such credits provide commercial
fleets with an added incentive to be
part of the clean transportation
solution, " says Brett Brown, who
serves as manager of gas operations,
Western Gas Distribution for
Dominion Energy and sits on
NGVAmerica's Board of Directors.
" By focusing on heavy-duty vehicles,
this program works to get the dirtiest,
oldest trucks with the greatest
emissions impact off our roadways
with added financial incentive to do so
sooner rather than later in order to
improve frontline community air
quality today. "

According to the association, the
incentive will be available to
corporations and individuals purchasing
a new qualified truck through 2030. The
credits start at $15,000 for 2021
purchases and decline thereafter by
$1,500 a year. The law caps the credit at
$500,000 each year and includes a 25%
set-aside for small fleets, defined as
those with 40 or fewer heavy-duty
vehicles registered in the state and
owned by a single taxpayer.
NGVAmerica points out that vehicles
only qualify for the credit if they drive
more than half their annual miles within
the state. ❒

TIPRO, TNG Combine
In Effort To Strengthen
Education, Advocacy
AUSTIN, TX.-The Texas
Independent Producers & Royalty
Owners Association has announced its
education and advocacy platform is
integrating Texans for Natural Gas. It
goes on to say that under TIPRO's
guidance, the organizations will create
the most comprehensive statewide oil
and natural gas campaign in Texas,
comprised of data, analysis, grassroots
engagement and rapid response
capabilities designed to provide
accurate information about the industry
and its unprecedented economic
contributions in Texas.
Texans for Natural Gas formed in
2014 as North Texans for Natural Gas
and adopted its current name when it
expanded statewide in 2017, TIPRO
recounts. As a grassroots organization
that gives a voice to those who support
Texas oil and natural gas production,
TNG has attracted more than 400,000
supporters from across the state and
created reports, digital content, and
research that has shaped the state's
energy conversation, TIPRO praises.
Moving forward, TNG will operate
as a TIPRO-managed resource. In the
weeks following the groups' March 4
combination, TIPRO says, all related
TNG websites, social media channels
and assets are being updated to reflect
the new structure.
" TIPRO is excited to bring such a
well-respected program like TNG into
our organization's communication
efforts, " affirms TIPRO Chairman Brent
Hopkins, chief executive officer of
APRIL 2021 15
American Oil and Gas Reporter - April 2021

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