A century-old dispute over Pennsylvania mineral rights has now drawn a legislative response. On July 12, 2026, the Pennsylvania Legislature enacted Act 27[1], amending the Real Estate Tax Sale Law, after a 2025 Supreme Court decision changed long-standing assumptions about historic tax sales and the doctrine known as “title washing.” The decision grew out of…
Atencio Hall Announces Five New Partners Atencio Hall is proud to welcome Ellen Terry, Carson Schambach, Eric Markley, Anthony Burgess, and Danielle Burke to the firm’s partnership. Each has helped shape the firm we are today through exceptional client service, trusted counsel, and a genuine commitment to our clients and one another. We are grateful…
Atencio Hall Welcomes New Partner James “Jay” A. Carr II Atencio Hall is proud to announce that James “Jay” A. Carr II has joined the firm as a Partner. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Carr brings extensive experience in the oil and gas industry and deepens the firm’s bench of senior legal talent serving clients across the…
Zoning & Land Use Impacts on Permitting Solar Development Projects in Pennsylvania Solar project developers new to operating in Pennsylvania may be surprised to learn that the State has over 2,500 municipalities each having the ability to govern land use in their community, in addition to county and state-level oversight and rules. This diverse setting…
Atencio Hall is pleased to announce that attorney Brittany Fox has been promoted to Member. Brittany has been an integral part of the team’s success story since the firm’s inception. Our firm is fortunate to have Brittany join the leadership group as we continue to grow in the Pittsburgh region. Brittany started her legal…
On April 19, 2023, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined that certain regulations were lawful as promulgated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) related to fact-finding in support of DEP’s review and issuance of unconventional well drilling permits (Marcellus Shale Coalition v. Dep’t of Envtl. Prot. Of…
On January 18, 2023, the Seventh Appellate District Court of Appeals upheld a trial court ruling that language in certain 2013 and 2014 oil and gas leases limiting the leased formations to the “formations commonly known as the Marcellus Shale and the Utica Shale,” did not include the Point Pleasant formation (Terra, L.L.C. v. Rice…
On January 24, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania upheld the constitutionality of Act 85 of 2019, which amended the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Lease Act to permit the drilling of horizontal oil and gas wells across existing drilling units. Lessor Warner Valley Farm LLC sued Lessees SWN Production Co.…
Update on Leasing of State-Owned Land in Ohio Ohio HB 507 Signed by Governor on January 6, 2023 On Friday January 6, 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed HB 507, which among various items, changed the language of O.R.C. 155.33 to provide a directive that a state agency “shall lease, in good faith,…” its…
Update on Siting Utility-Scale Renewable Projects in Ohio Status of Township and County Utilization of Rights Under S. B. 52 In 2021, Ohio adopted S. B. 52 (codified at O. R. C. §303.57 to .62) which authorized counties to regulate the siting of “large” utility scale solar facilities and wind farms. Siting authority was previously…