Posts Tagged ‘Member’

Canonsburg, PA – Member companies of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) invested more than $411 million over the past three years to repave, rebuild and improve roadways and transportation infrastructure across the state of Pennsylvania, according to a survey of participating members. Since 2008, approximately 21% of the payments have been made toward local roads, while approximately 79% went toward improving roads maintained by the state.

Kathryn Z. Klaber, president and executive director of the MSC, issued the following statement on the industry’s commitment to improving the roads and infrastructure that support Marcellus activity:

“Preparing and restoring roads associated with Marcellus development is a responsibility that our coalition members take very seriously. We understand and recognize the concerns regarding the increase in truck traffic and its impact on our roads. And we also understand, as good neighbors, that we must do everything to ensure that we leave these roads in better condition than when our operations started. This $411 million industry investment in our roads since 2008 is just one example of the natural gas industry addressing local concerns in a direct and straightforward manner. It’s an investment that will continue to grow as responsible shale gas development continues across the Commonwealth.”

Natural gas operators are required by law to bond each mile of posted road traveled, submit road management plans (Excess Maintenance Agreements) to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and acquire hauling permits prior to truck traffic traveling on a given road. Road management plans outline which roads an operator may travel while also stipulating a maintenance plan for each roadway.

NOTE: Today, the MSC is hosting the second annual Marcellus Transportation Safety Day. This seminar is designed to better educate carriers and truck drivers supporting the natural gas industry on Pennsylvania’s regulations to continuously improve their safe operating practices. Speakers include representatives from the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. For additional information, visit www.marcelluscoalition.org.

Posted At: Marcellus Shale Coalition.org

           The Pa. Commonwealth Court recently addressed the question of what constitutes an “abnormal working condition” in a workers compensation case that alleged post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In Washington v. WCAB (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Police) , 11 A.3d 48 (2011), the injured worker, Washington, was employed as a Field Trooper with the  State Police. In addition, he also worked as a member of the Forensic Services Unit (FSU)providing forensic and photographic services. In 1998, he was involved in the investigation of a murder/suicide in which a father set his vehicle on fire burning himself and his eight-month old infant daughter to death. In addition to photographing the vehicle and the bodies at the crime scene, he attended the baby’s autopsy and filed a report of the crime scene via photographs. In 2006, Claimant filed a claim petition in which he alleged that he suffered a work related injury in the nature of PTSD resulting from his work on the case where the baby was burned to death. He alleged that he would cry, that he suffered from nightmares, that he fired a bullet across the side of his chest which required hospitalization, that he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, that he was diagnosed PTSD, and as a result he was no longer able to work.

           As Mr. Washington was alleging a “mental/mental” injury (a mental injury resulting from mental stimuli), he had the burden of establishing objective evidence that he suffered a psychological injury and that the injury was more than a subjective reaction to normal working conditions. Pennsylvania Courts have ruled that psychic injury cases are highly fact-sensitive and for actual work conditions to be considered abnormal, they must be considered in the context of the specific employment. The Commonwealth Court has recognized that the job of police officer is one which is inherently highly stressful. Therefore, Washington was still required to demonstrate by objective evidence that his PTSD diagnosis was more than his subjective reaction to normal working conditions in order to recover benefits under the Workers Compensation Act.

          The Commonwaelth Court found that the activities performed by Washington in the baby death investigation were normal and routine activities relating to his FSU job duties. The court reasoned that the activities may have been unusual for Claimant to endure as a member of the FSU; however,  they did not constitute the requisite abnormal working conditions to support the award of compensation benefits.

MCLEAN, Va. (March 10, 2011) — Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced today that it has joined the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) as an associate member in order to provide technical expertise and demonstrate the company’s strong commitment to the natural gas industry. SAIC has a solid understanding of the multidiscipline permitting, regional geology, water resources/management, engineering, and site investigation/remediation requirements for exploration and development in the Marcellus Shale.

“SAIC is driven to help tackle the growing need for a clean, reliable, and secure energy supply while addressing our concern for the environment and preserving our natural resources. By becoming a member of the MSC, we will be able to apply our business acumen and technical expertise to further the advancement of natural gas production while fostering the MSC’s commitment to responsible gas extraction in the Marcellus region,” said Herschel Roberts, SAIC’s Water, Environment, and Transportation operations manager.

SAIC has supported oil and gas companies nationally and within the Appalachian Basin for more than 30 years and has extensive experience providing solutions to companies that are developing natural resources in the Marcellus Shale footprint. With four Pennsylvania offices, the company has performed a broad array of science, engineering, and compliance services for exploration and production firms, midstream firms, and service providers in the Marcellus shale area.

To learn more about production of natural gas from the Marcellus shale, visitwww.marcelluscoalition.org.

NOTE: Click HERE to view this release on SAIC’s website.

Copyright: MaracellusCoalition.org

MATT HUGHES [email protected]

Frustrated with the borough’s inaction on the anti-gas drilling ordinance they first proposed at a meeting last summer, Harveys Lake residents and members of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition will hold their own town hall meeting Saturday.

The residents hope to drum up support for the model ordinance before the next borough council meeting, when they plan to introduce it again.

“Our council has ignored our pleas to simply conduct a public hearing to discuss this ordinance with the residents and allow their input on it,” coalition member Michelle Boice said in an e-mail.

“After months of approaching them and their failure to respond, we have decided to have our own town hall-style meeting to discuss it with the residents.”

The proposed ordinance, drafted by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, of Summit Hill, would prohibit any corporation from extracting natural gas within the borough and make it unlawful to use water from any source within the borough for extraction of natural gas. It targets the process of hydraulic fracturing, which shale gas drilling critics link to drinking-water contamination.

The group drafted similar ordinances for other municipalities, including Pittsburgh, which banned hydraulic fracturing in November, and Buffalo, N.Y., where the city’s common council voted Tuesday to ban the practice.

It distributed copies of its draft ordinance at council’s November meeting, and on Jan. 19, council at its regular meeting voted to advertise a public meeting to discuss the proposal, but that vote ended in a 3-3 tie, with one council member absent.

Mayor Clarence Hogan did not elect to cast a deciding vote, and the council “left the tie vote dangle and moved on to other business with no response,” Boice said.

Boice said the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition will hold its meeting to offer residents the chance to comment on the ordinance. The group will again ask council to hold a meeting about the ordinance at its upcoming Tuesday meeting, she added.

The town hall meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Harveys Lake Municipal Building. Ben Price of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, author of Pittsburgh’s anti-fracking ordinance, will speak. All are welcome.

Copyright: Times Leader

April 6, 2010

The state House Majority Policy Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss environmental issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale and the Chesapeake Bay at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 13 at Lycoming College.

State Rep. Rick Mirabito, a committee member, will host the meeting to be held in Wendle Hall, Room D-001, 700 College Place, Williamsport.

Among those attending the hearing will be Marel Raub, Pennsylvania director of the Chesapeake Bay Commissions; Matt Royer, Chesapeake Bay Foundation attorney; and Eric Conrad, project manager, Oil and Gas Partnership, North Central Workforce Investment Board.

Others expected to attend will be representatives from Trout Unlimited and the Responsible Drilling Alliance.

The hearing will include public discussion.

Copyright: Sungazette.com

Recent reports indicate that the gas industry estimates drilling approximately 1750 new gas wells in Pennsylvania in 2010. The cost of investment is expected to be seven (7) billion dollars according to industry sources. Many new jobs will be created along with ongoing environmental concerns.

Dougherty Leventhal and Price LLP represents workers and citizens injured or killed as a result of gas drilling related activities. DLP is a 12 member law firm serving Northeast and Central Pennsylvania for the past thirty years.

Joseph G. Price

Job: Attorney, at DLP Law

Profile:

Concentration: Civil Litigation, including major and complex Personal Injury cases.

* Current President of the Lackawanna Bar Association

* Board Certified Member of the National Board of Civil Trial Advocacy

* Member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy

* Ex-Officia Member of the Board of Governors

* Pennsylvania Association of Justice (formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association)

* Certified Mediator Middle District of Pennsylvania Federal Court

* Member of the Federal Bar Association

* Member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association

* Finance Chairman Board of Directors St. Joseph’s Center

* Member of the Lackawanna County Performing Arts Authority

* Member Board of Directors Pro Bono Lackawanna County

Joseph Price is a trial lawyer serving Northeast Pennsylvania for the past thirty years. He is Board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Attorney Joe Price is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Board of Governors Pennsylvania Association of Justice and American Trial Lawyers. Attorney Price has successfully tried many diverse cases including cases against General Motors, Dollar General, Pennsylvania Department of State and numerous insurance carriers. He is a frequent lecturer for trial lawyers and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Currently Attorney Price serves as the President of the Lackawanna Bar Association. He is also a former assistant District Attorney, solicitor for various governmental entities and past President of the LBA Young Lawyer Division.

Active in the community, Attorney Price is the Finance Chairman of Saint Joseph’s Center, is a member of the Performing Arts Authority and Board Member of Lackawanna Pro Bono Association. He is a former member of the Scranton School Board, founding member of the Minooka Athletic Association and Lackawanna Water Quality Task Force, former cross country coach at Marion Catholic School and former basketball coach and official.

Attorney Price is married to Attorney Judy Price and is the proud father of four children. Attorney Price can be contacted at the Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP Moosic Office.

* Current President of the Lackawanna Bar Association

* Board Certified Member of the National Board of Civil Trial Advocacy

* Member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy

* Ex-Officia Member of the Board of Governors

* Pennsylvania Association of Justice (formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association)

* Certified Mediator Middle District of Pennsylvania Federal Court

* Member of the Federal Bar Association

* Member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association

* Finance Chairman Board of Directors St. Joseph’s Center

* Member of the Lackawanna County Performing Arts Authority

* Member Board of Directors Pro Bono Lackawanna County

Click here to email Joe

Joseph Price is a trial lawyer serving Northeast Pennsylvania for the past thirty years. He is Board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Attorney Joe Price is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Board of Governors Pennsylvania Association of Justice and American Trial Lawyers. Attorney Price has successfully tried many diverse cases including cases against General Motors, Dollar General, Pennsylvania Department of State and numerous insurance carriers. He is a frequent lecturer for trial lawyers and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Currently Attorney Price serves as the President of the Lackawanna Bar Association. He is also a former assistant District Attorney, solicitor for various governmental entities and past President of the LBA Young Lawyer Division.

Active in the community, Attorney Price is the Finance Chairman of Saint Joseph’s Center, is a member of the Performing Arts Authority and Board Member of Lackawanna Pro Bono Association. He is a former member of the Scranton School Board, founding member of the Minooka Athletic Association and Lackawanna Water Quality Task Force, former cross country coach at Marion Catholic School and former basketball coach and official.

Attorney Price is married to Attorney Judy Price and is the proud father of four children. Attorney Price can be contacted at the Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP Moosic Office. // –>