The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court issued a decision in a lawsuit brought against the state by seven municipalities challenging the legality of Act 13, the Marcellus Shale extraction fee legislation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week said drinking water is safe to consume in Dimock, Pa., private drinking water wells, after testing wells, samples provided by residents, DEP and Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. The EPA said, “Based on the outcome of that sampling, EPA has determined that there are not levels of contaminants present that would require additional action by the Agency.”

Energy again will be a focus at Ag Progress Days, scheduled for August 14-16 at Rock Springs.

New this year is the Renewable Energy Showcase, a series of presentations on energy resources and conservation practices, to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 14, in the Learning Center Tent at Main and East 9th streets (below the Pasto Museum). Click here for more details on Ag Progress Days events.

The General Assembly is currently on summer recess, with members slated to return to Harrisburg September 24.  Between now and then, however, the four caucus Policy Committees will be holding various hearings throughout the state to focus on issues they feel will be important in the fall and the November 6 elections.  All 203 districts in the state House of Representatives, and 25 of 50 seats in the state Senate are on the ballot this November, but attention will likely focus on no more than four or five Senate races and a dozen state House races.

Meanwhile, their federal counterparts are working on a variety of issues, attempting to better position themselves for November elections, all promising their policies will pull the U.S. away from the “economic cliff” it is teetering on before it breaks for August recess.

A new micro-hydro plant came online this week in Tioga County that uses acid mine water to generate electricity. The Antrim treatment plant is the first facility of its kind in the state, and will help to solve an existing water pollution problem by giving useful life to a treated waste product.

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Minutes before the midnight deadline on June 30, Governor Tom Corbett signed the state’s 2012-13 budget, which reflected more than $700 million more in spending that the original February budget proposal.  Also delivered to Corbett were changes in the state’s fiscal and tax codes, which authorize budget spending and revenue collections, and also included language for the ethane cracker tax credit.

The state’s fiscal code bill (SB 1263) contained several energy related items and issues.

The legislation sets bonds for conventional oil and gas wells at $2,500 or a blanket bond of $25,000, and requires the EQB to undertake a study of conventional well bond requirements, thus restoring pre-Act 13 limits which can be expanded after the study.

After almost four years, the passage of HB 807 in the last week of session, gives the state Ag Department regulatory authority and enforcement tools over the biodiesel blends mandated under Act 78 of 2008.  The legislation amends the Pennsylvania Biofuel Development and In-State Production Incentive Act.  Governor Corbett must sign or veto the bill by July 6.