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Monday, August 13, 2018

Local Football Schedules

Re: Taxation of Pipeline Equipment and Supplies


Pipeline taxation still a puzzle in Monroe County


UNION — While issues connected to property rights-of-way linger, Monroe County appears destined to soon see construction begin on the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline.
But just how — and how much — the pipeline will be taxed remains something of a puzzle. Monroe County Assessor Norbert Netzel has taken steps to ensure that his county get its share of that tax revenue, whatever it may turn out to be.
Commonly referred to as the MVP, the pipeline will carry natural gas some 300 miles from Wetzel County, through the middle of West Virginia, and on to Pittsylvania County, Va. Twenty-two miles of that path run through Monroe County.
Netzel told county commissioners Wednesday that he has purchased a drone for $1,400 and is in the process of obtaining a federal license to pilot the battery-powered aircraft. He said he plans to keep an eye from the sky on the equipment and materials being maintained by pipeline construction crews in Monroe County. That way, he said, he will be able to document the taxable inventory.
Netzel said he has been in touch with state Tax Department officials, trying to glean what little concrete information he can. Thus far, he said, he has ascertained that the county will be able to levy taxes on equipment and on the massive stacks of pipe until they are buried. Once construction on the pipeline is complete, the state will take over responsibility for determining rates and collecting revenue.
But the assessor warned commissioners that he believes the West Virginia Legislature is poised to revive a tax reform proposal early next year that would do away with all of the state’s personal property taxes — including business inventory and vehicles.
Because such a change would lead to massive budget deficits for counties, public school systems and municipalities, the proposed legislation provides for a potential tripling of real estate taxes, Netzel said. The catch, he noted, is that it will be up to individual county commissions to hike real estate levy rates and take the political heat for the decision.
County Clerk Donald Evans agreed with Netzel’s evaluation of the legislation that was proposed but did not pass earlier this year, saying all of the commissioners should read the bill in its entirety.
Netzel also pointed out that, if the bill were to pass in 2018, voters statewide would then have to be afforded the opportunity to vote on the measure. But, he said, with the bill shifting the tax burden onto property owners, while increasing the homestead exemption for homeowners over the age of 65, he expects that elderly homeowners and people who own little more than a vehicle would probably be inclined to vote for the measure.
Commissioners agreed to begin writing letters to the governor and key legislators objecting to the anticipated legislation.
l l l
It does appear that construction materials will be stored in some quantity in Monroe County.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the board of directors of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation — which owns Fountain Springs Industrial Park in Monroe County — voted to lease some of that property to MVP and to allow lessee M-Rock to sublease an additional 5,000 square feet to MVP.
Under the terms of the agreement, GVEDC and M-Rock will split (50/50) rental income of $231,000 a year while the MVP contract is in place.
According to an undated letter written to the GVEDC by MVP employee Janna Arnold, the Fountain Springs property will be used as a “pipeline contractor yard.” MVP will also use adjacent parking lots and office space, provided by M-Rock, Arnold wrote.

Dominion Taking a Hit

Grandfield & Dodd LLC Sells 774 Shares of Dominion Energy Inc (D)

Grandfield & Dodd LLC lowered its stake in Dominion Energy Inc (NYSE:D) by 14.1% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,726 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 774 shares during the quarter. Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s holdings in Dominion Energy were worth $322,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of D. Advisory Services Network LLC raised its holdings in Dominion Energy by 123.4% in the 2nd quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 9,498 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $679,000 after acquiring an additional 5,247 shares during the last quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Dominion Energy by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC now owns 162,723 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $11,094,000 after acquiring an additional 2,042 shares during the last quarter. Palladium Partners LLC raised its holdings in Dominion Energy by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Palladium Partners LLC now owns 83,635 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $5,703,000 after acquiring an additional 2,381 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Dominion Energy by 14.8% in the 2nd quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 51,200 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,491,000 after acquiring an additional 6,600 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Family Office LLC raised its holdings in Dominion Energy by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. Boston Family Office LLC now owns 49,160 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,352,000 after acquiring an additional 2,705 shares during the last quarter. 67.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
 
D stock opened at $71.26 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $46.50 billion, a PE ratio of 19.79, a PEG ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 0.46 and a quick ratio of 0.31. Dominion Energy Inc has a 52 week low of $61.53 and a 52 week high of $85.30.
Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 27th. The utilities provider reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $3.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.48 billion. Dominion Energy had a return on equity of 12.88% and a net margin of 23.74%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.97 EPS. analysts forecast that Dominion Energy Inc will post 4.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
In other Dominion Energy news, insider Thomas F. Farrell II purchased 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $63.44 per share, with a total value of $253,760.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.
Several brokerages have weighed in on D. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Dominion Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Dominion Energy from $67.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 23rd. Howard Weil began coverage on Dominion Energy in a report on Tuesday, July 24th. They issued a “sector perform” rating for the company. Scotiabank began coverage on Dominion Energy in a report on Tuesday, July 24th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $167.00 price target for the company. Finally, Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and set a $77.00 price objective on shares of Dominion Energy in a report on Monday, July 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $82.64.
About Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy, Inc produces and transports energy in the United States. The company's Power Delivery segment engages in the regulated electric transmission and distribution operations that serve residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina. Its Power Generation segment is involved in the electricity generation activities through gas, coal, nuclear, oil, renewables, biomass, hydro, solar, and power purchase agreements; and related energy supply operations.
Recommended Story: Are analyst ratings accurate?
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Institutional Ownership by Quarter for Dominion Energy (NYSE:D)

If You Don't Like the Rules, just change them!

Sunday, August 12, 2018

A Big Question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Norman,

These are photos I took with a camera and also a drone on July 29, 2018. These show equipment. The first one is along Rt. 28 about 2 miles north of the high school. Additional equipment was high up on the mountain and I have photos of these but not included. I also have a few photos by drone over the equipment yard adjacent to the senior center and the equipment yard near Henry’s, both operated by Jacob Meck.  Photo # 7 is of a new staging area just east of Frost Fire Department along Rt. 84. My guess is that it would be for pipe, but it is mostly empty. 

The latter pictures are of the huge yard at Junior McLaughlin’s about 5 miles south of Frost on Rt. 92. These were taken from the road, not drone.

The upshot is, is the county assessor taking lawful steps to levy taxes upon this equipment?




Stop Order

All work ordered stopped on Atlantic Coast Pipeline after judges revoke permits

  • Updated 
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, proposed by Dominion Energy and three other companies, has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. A spur off the main pipeline would run from near Emporia to Chesapeake. FERC hosted a public input session on the pipeline in Suffolk in February of 2017.
A federal agency has ordered a halt to all work on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline after a panel of judges suspended two key permits for the massive project to bring natural gas from West Virginia through central Virginia.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sent a letter late Friday to Dominion Energy, the company leading construction of the 600-mile pipeline, saying that work must stop until the permit issues can be resolved.
Earlier in the week, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit had vacated a permit issued by the National Park Service to allow the pipeline to tunnel under the federally owned Blue Ridge Parkway, saying the agency had not explained how the pipeline fit with the its mandate to conserve public lands.
The court also vacated a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service governing impact on endangered wildlife, saying the agency failed to set proper limits for harm to five species including a type of freshwater clam and certain bats.
The rulings capped a series of setbacks for the two major pipeline projects underway in Virginia. Last month, the same court revoked a permit for the separate Mountain Valley Pipeline to cross 3.5 miles of the Jefferson National Forest, finding that the impact on the forest had not been fully reviewed.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission then stepped in to halt all work on that pipeline, as well. The Mountain Valley Pipeline, being built by a consortium of companies led by EQT Midstream Partners of Pittsburgh, is a 300-mile project that also carries natural gas from West Virginia and passes through Virginia's far southwest mountains.
Environmental activists say the rulings show the approval process for both projects has been hasty and flawed.
The Southern Environmental Law Center brought the challenges against both sets of permits and has urged FERC to reconsider approval for both pipelines.
"With so many unknowns remaining about this project, now is the right time for the Commission to grant rehearing and get to the bottom of Dominion's over-blown and unsupported claims of public benefit," SELC attorney Greg Buppert said via email after Friday's decision.
Builders of both pipelines, though, have said that the permit issues can be readily addressed.
"We are already working with the key agencies to resolve the issues in FERC's order so we can resume construction as soon as possible," said Aaron Ruby of Dominion, spokesman for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. "Delaying this infrastructure will force consumers and businesses to pay higher energy costs."
Work on most of that pipeline had come to a halt in Virginia in March, once tree-felling season ended, as the builders await final state approval of erosion and sediment control plans. But construction had continued in West Virginia and North Carolina. Dominion also has asked FERC for permission to continue work on portions of the project, including preparation for the source of the gas supply in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

About Me

A local archivist who specializes in all things Pocahontas County