Today’s Essential Reads
FRACKING:
International Agency Calls for Action on Natural Gas Safety
Forcing natural gas out of shale rock through hydraulic fracturing is riskier than conventional gas development and requires tougher rules than those now in place, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a new report.
Fracking At Top of Chevron, Exxon Meetings
Investor concerns about hydraulic fracturing at Chevron have eased, in contrast to a slight rise at rival Exxon, as the two largest U.S. oil companies faced growing pressure at shareholder meetings to name independent chairmen to improve governance.
State Senator Gail Schwartz Addresses ?Locals on Watershed
Water conservation will be a critical issue this year, warned state Sen. Gail Schwartz at a meet-and-greet held at BB’s Kitchen on Wednesday.
House Cmte. Examines Domestic Regulation of ‘Fracking’
The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform will examine the Obama Administration’s regulation of domestic energy production.
BP OIL SPILL:
Fla. County Approves Changes After Oil Spill Fraud
Amid a criminal investigation into the alleged misuse of funds paid by BP after the 2010 Gulf oil spill, a Florida Panhandle county made big changes Tuesday in the way it oversees spending for promotion of the area’s world-famous beaches.
Restore Act Supporters Coordinate Capitol Hill Lobbying Effort
This time there were no blue umbrellas, no Capitol rallies and no visits with congressional leaders. Women of the Storm, a group formed after Hurricane Katrina to advocate for post-storm assistance from the federal government, had a “virtual” lobbying effort Wednesday: using cell phones, social networks and email to reach the congressional members deciding whether to include the Restore Act in a pending transportation bill.
Officials Prepare for Hurricanes, Oil Spills
The beginning of hurricane season is Friday, and emergency responders are preparing for every contingency, including another oil spill.
Leases in Central Gulf on Sale to Oil and Gas Companies for the First Time Since the BP Oil Spill
The federal government is offering the central Gulf of Mexico for lease to oil and gas companies this month in the first lease sale of the area since before the BP oil spill.
RADIATION:
Fukushima Govt Slams Evacuation Instructions
Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato has criticised the way the central government went about issuing evacuation instructions for residents at a hearing by the Diet’s Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC).
