2014 countdown: Southeastern PA feels gas boom & Chevron blocks access to fire

• Marie Cusick
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  Marie Cusick was the Harrisburg reporter for StateImpact Pennsylvania.

Our end-of-year countdown continues with the most popular web stories of 2014*. Coming in at #8 is a report about how Chevron blocked state environmental regulators from a fatal fire at one of its gas wells.
The #7 story explains how Pennsylvania’s most populated region– the southeast– is starting to feel the gas boom in its backyard.
8. Chevron blocked access to DEP after fatal well fire

StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Katie Colaneri was on the scene after a Chevron gas well exploded, killing a worker. She later followed up by checking the state Department of Environmental Protection’s online database to see what kind of violations the company received for the incident.
Among other violations, she found this particularly noteworthy: “the company blocked personnel with the state Department of Environmental Protection from accessing the site for nearly two days. The DEP acquiesced, despite its regulatory authority … Drilling companies are always required to grant access to DEP officials, regardless of the circumstances, according to their state-issued permits.”
Update: In its after action report, the DEP admitted blame for failing to immediately assert its authority following the incident.
 
7. Gas boom starts to hit home for residents of Southeastern PA

Coming soon to Southeastern Pennsylvania: the gas boom in your backyard. This story takes a look at the myriad ways the state’s most populated region is starting to feel the change– from new jobs and economic opportunities, to more pipelines and disruption.
Update: The region continues to feel changes related to the gas boom. More than $10 billion in pipeline projects have been announced for Pennsylvania. Many of the new projects will criss-cross the southeast and face public opposition. Investors also recently held a forum to discuss how to make the City of Philadelphia a major energy hub.
*The countdown is based on web traffic statistics to the StateImpact Pennsylvania site.

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