An Ohio County senator involved in drafting Marcellus shale legislation in West Virginia figures the interim committee "is within three or four amendments of being finished."

"People get frustrated because the process seems to be taking so long," said Sen. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio. "But truly, it's because we want to make sure we produce the best piece of legislation we can. We don't want at the end of the day to see we've made a mistake and have to go through the process to fix it." Read more »

Some insist Marcellus Shale natural gas is a huge economic boom for America, while others are certain it's an environmental catastrophe.

Gas drilling from the Marcellus pollutes groundwater, or it never pollutes groundwater. It's cleaner than coal or oil, except that it's dirty. It provides a boost to hard-hit rural economies; but then again, maybe it doesn't.

The one point of agreement? Scientists say advocates on both sides increasingly spin every shred of research to fit their own views, and ignore the bigger picture. Read more »

A day after a controversial Indiana County Marcellus Shale gas well got the go-ahead from the state to restart drilling, someone fired six shotgun blasts into the lining of a drill cuttings pit and stabbed more holes into the liner with a stake, the well owners said Wednesday.

The owners of the well, MDS Energy of Kittanning, believe the vandalism was the result of the seven months of public debate over whether they should be able to drill the well, which sits within the county's "conservation zone" around Yellow Creek State Park. Read more »

Gov. Tom Corbett is putting the finishing touches on a welcome-back-to-session gift to lawmakers: his plan for overseeing and charging a fee on Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

That draft legislation is one of the most highly anticipated proposals this fall in the state Capitol, where senators will return Monday to tackle unfinished business. The House reconvenes Sept. 26. Read more »