Pennsylvania's landmark oil and gas law suffered a blow yesterday as judges struck down a key section that limited local governments' ability to regulate industry activity. A meaty section of the five-month-old Act 13 prohibited any local restrictions that would disrupt the "reasonable development of oil and gas resources" in the state. This would trump established zoning plans that separate residential, commercial and industrial activity and would force towns to allow gas-related operations in every zone.

This week's bid by a Chinese state-owned oil company to take over a Canadian oil sands crude producer seemed to hand Republicans a perfect talking point for their efforts to fast-track the Keystone XL pipeline: China is already taking advantage of America's delay in approving new heavy fuel imports from its northern neighbor, the GOP argued.