Newsletter - September 2017 - Full Edition
The Behemoth Awakens
After several years of peace, it seemed that the threat of residential fracking in Butler Township had finally gone away. Though the township commissioners approved a residential well pad on the Krendale Golf Course in 2014, it had not yet received Department of Environmental Protection well permits. The last action taken by the DEP on the Krendale applications was on October 23, 2014. In 2015, Butler Township, after significant pressure from Section 27 Alliance and Marcellus Outreach Butler, drafted a revision to its zoning ordinance that would have prohibited fracking in R-1 zoning areas, as well as on R-2-zoned properties of less than 100 acres. When the hearing and vote was held on this proposed ordinance on December 19, 2015, two commissioners voted yes, two voted no, and one was absent, so the proposal died and was not brought up again.
That was the last residential fracking was heard of in Butler Township. The Krendale well pad had not received DEP permits or township construction permits. Everyone thought that was the end of it, that it would just go away quietly. Almost two years passed with this assumption. But then a township resident received a certified letter from the DEP on June 22, 2017, informing him that they had issued all 11 well permits for the Krendale well pad. Suddenly, and without any warning, Krendale had been approved after nearly three years of dormancy. It is unknown why the DEP waited so long to approve the permits, and why there seems to be no explanation behind the sudden approval. As of this writing, the township has not yet issued construction permits for Krendale. But it will not go unchallenged.
The Krendale pad is a terrifying monstrosity. Located in the heart of densely-populated Butler Township, it is surrounded on all sides by residential and commercial development. The nearest home on North Eberhart Road is a mere 595 feet away. In the event of a major incident such as a fire at the well pad, based on past evacuations elsewhere in Pennsylvania, everything within a 1-mile radius would likely be evacuated. This would include the existing VA Butler Medical Center on New Castle Road; the four-building Benbrook Medical Center; Lowrie Place Assisted Living; Lifesteps Early Education Center; Northwest Elementary School; the three largest shopping centers in Butler, including Wal-Mart, Target, Giant Eagle, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Kohl’s, and Dick’s Sporting Goods; the Hampton Inn; and more than 1,300 homes. Routes 68, 356, and 422 would also be impacted in the event of an evacuation, affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of drivers.
MOB, and our ally, Section 27 Alliance of Butler Township, will not allow these new developments to fly quietly under the radar. A large campaign is in progress to raise awareness of the Krendale well pad, activate the community to fight against it, and solicit funding for Section 27 Alliance’s intended legal challenge. On Saturday, October 7, MOB is partnering with Section 27 Alliance to hold an action to raise public awareness of Krendale. If you are interested in participating in that action, please contact us at mpro113@gmail.com for more information. Don’t let the frackers destroy your community. Stand up, fight back!
Visit http://www.section27alliance.com/ for more information on the Krendale well pad.
- SAH
That was the last residential fracking was heard of in Butler Township. The Krendale well pad had not received DEP permits or township construction permits. Everyone thought that was the end of it, that it would just go away quietly. Almost two years passed with this assumption. But then a township resident received a certified letter from the DEP on June 22, 2017, informing him that they had issued all 11 well permits for the Krendale well pad. Suddenly, and without any warning, Krendale had been approved after nearly three years of dormancy. It is unknown why the DEP waited so long to approve the permits, and why there seems to be no explanation behind the sudden approval. As of this writing, the township has not yet issued construction permits for Krendale. But it will not go unchallenged.
The Krendale pad is a terrifying monstrosity. Located in the heart of densely-populated Butler Township, it is surrounded on all sides by residential and commercial development. The nearest home on North Eberhart Road is a mere 595 feet away. In the event of a major incident such as a fire at the well pad, based on past evacuations elsewhere in Pennsylvania, everything within a 1-mile radius would likely be evacuated. This would include the existing VA Butler Medical Center on New Castle Road; the four-building Benbrook Medical Center; Lowrie Place Assisted Living; Lifesteps Early Education Center; Northwest Elementary School; the three largest shopping centers in Butler, including Wal-Mart, Target, Giant Eagle, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Kohl’s, and Dick’s Sporting Goods; the Hampton Inn; and more than 1,300 homes. Routes 68, 356, and 422 would also be impacted in the event of an evacuation, affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of drivers.
MOB, and our ally, Section 27 Alliance of Butler Township, will not allow these new developments to fly quietly under the radar. A large campaign is in progress to raise awareness of the Krendale well pad, activate the community to fight against it, and solicit funding for Section 27 Alliance’s intended legal challenge. On Saturday, October 7, MOB is partnering with Section 27 Alliance to hold an action to raise public awareness of Krendale. If you are interested in participating in that action, please contact us at mpro113@gmail.com for more information. Don’t let the frackers destroy your community. Stand up, fight back!
Visit http://www.section27alliance.com/ for more information on the Krendale well pad.
- SAH
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Around the County
JEFFERSON TWP – On July 21, the DEP issued two well permits for Penn Energy’s W71 well pad on Dinnerbell Road, just west of the Knoch schools complex. The well pad is approximately 1,975 feet from the high/middle schools; 2,800 feet from the intermediate elementary school; and 2,900 feet from the primary school. Penn Energy has applied for five well permits total.
BUTLER TWP – The DEP issued two well permits for XTO’s AK Steel A well pad, located on Schaffner Road, on August 7. This well pad is in a single-family residential-zoned area, just south of the Highfield neighborhood. Butler Township, which approved the well pad in April 2014, issued construction permits on August 17. Neighbors of the site have reported that construction of the access road has begun. The underground laterals of this well will drill under Preston Park and Butler Township (Sawmill Run) Park, which the township leased to XTO in 2015.
ADAMS TWP – A tanker truck carrying a load of fracking waste flipped onto its side on Three Degree Road on August 31. Adams Township police arrived on the scene to find fluid leaking all over the road from the ruptured tank. The Butler Eagle reported that police contacted the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which told emergency responders that “the water was not hazardous to the environment.” Take that how you wish.
CRANBERRY TWP – One of the laterals for a Penn Energy well pad, located just over the township line on Zehner School Road in Jackson Township, is proposed to go under the Cranberry Heights housing development. Though the well pad is not physically located in Cranberry, its proximity to the township may create noise, light, sound, and traffic impacts.
FRANKLIN TWP – Land clearing has begun for the pipeline connecting XTO’s Stein well pad on Country Club Road with their Kyne well pad on Dick Road in Connoquenessing Township. The pipeline will cross under Route 422 near the Longhorn Corral bar.
BUTLER TWP – Energy Transfer Partners is constructing a new pipeline on the same route as EdgeMarc’s Constellation pipeline, just east of Mount Chestnut near the intersection of Route 422 and Greenwood Drive. That now makes two high-volume, high-pressure pipelines on that same right-of-way through a residential area.
CENTER TWP – Rex Energy commenced drilling, or “spudded,” on the Kern well pad on West Brewster Road on May 9. One additional well on the same pad was started on May 10 and two more were spudded on August 15.
BUTLER TWP – The DEP issued two well permits for XTO’s AK Steel A well pad, located on Schaffner Road, on August 7. This well pad is in a single-family residential-zoned area, just south of the Highfield neighborhood. Butler Township, which approved the well pad in April 2014, issued construction permits on August 17. Neighbors of the site have reported that construction of the access road has begun. The underground laterals of this well will drill under Preston Park and Butler Township (Sawmill Run) Park, which the township leased to XTO in 2015.
ADAMS TWP – A tanker truck carrying a load of fracking waste flipped onto its side on Three Degree Road on August 31. Adams Township police arrived on the scene to find fluid leaking all over the road from the ruptured tank. The Butler Eagle reported that police contacted the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which told emergency responders that “the water was not hazardous to the environment.” Take that how you wish.
CRANBERRY TWP – One of the laterals for a Penn Energy well pad, located just over the township line on Zehner School Road in Jackson Township, is proposed to go under the Cranberry Heights housing development. Though the well pad is not physically located in Cranberry, its proximity to the township may create noise, light, sound, and traffic impacts.
FRANKLIN TWP – Land clearing has begun for the pipeline connecting XTO’s Stein well pad on Country Club Road with their Kyne well pad on Dick Road in Connoquenessing Township. The pipeline will cross under Route 422 near the Longhorn Corral bar.
BUTLER TWP – Energy Transfer Partners is constructing a new pipeline on the same route as EdgeMarc’s Constellation pipeline, just east of Mount Chestnut near the intersection of Route 422 and Greenwood Drive. That now makes two high-volume, high-pressure pipelines on that same right-of-way through a residential area.
CENTER TWP – Rex Energy commenced drilling, or “spudded,” on the Kern well pad on West Brewster Road on May 9. One additional well on the same pad was started on May 10 and two more were spudded on August 15.
Across Penn's Woods
HARRISBURG – As part of Pennsylvania’s proposed fiscal year 2018 budget, environmental permit reviews, including those for gas and oil, would be outsourced from the Department of Environmental Protection to private contractors. The PA Senate approved a group of amendments that includes this proposed outsourcing 26-24. It now goes to the State House for consideration. Read more here.
Take Action: Call your state representative and tell them to vote NO on this disastrous proposal. Look up who your rep is, and their contact information, here.
HUNTINGDON – The fight against the Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids pipeline continues. Sunoco was granted eminent domain rights by the PA Public Utility Commission to take properties in the pipeline’s path that refused to sell to the company. The Gerhart family in Huntingdon County erected an opposition camp, called Camp White Pine, in the right-of-way of the pipeline, and has blocked construction for months. The family and hundreds of supporters have conducted civil disobedience, including tree-sits, on their own land to stop greedy corporate overreach with the blessing of the state government. Read more about the family’s fight here and here.
CLAYSVILLE – The DEP and Range Resources settled a case brought by the state against the company for methane contamination in Lycoming County on August 30. The DEP had sought a record $8.9 million fine against Range for a well failure on May 11, 2015 that contaminated five residential water wells, groundwater, and a stream with high levels of methane. The DEP blamed a faulty cement well casing for the leak. The out-of-court settlement does not require Range Resources to pay any fine at all, but the DEP “reserves the right to assess penalties in the future.” Read more, and view the full text of the actual settlement, here.
Take Action: Call your state representative and tell them to vote NO on this disastrous proposal. Look up who your rep is, and their contact information, here.
HUNTINGDON – The fight against the Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids pipeline continues. Sunoco was granted eminent domain rights by the PA Public Utility Commission to take properties in the pipeline’s path that refused to sell to the company. The Gerhart family in Huntingdon County erected an opposition camp, called Camp White Pine, in the right-of-way of the pipeline, and has blocked construction for months. The family and hundreds of supporters have conducted civil disobedience, including tree-sits, on their own land to stop greedy corporate overreach with the blessing of the state government. Read more about the family’s fight here and here.
CLAYSVILLE – The DEP and Range Resources settled a case brought by the state against the company for methane contamination in Lycoming County on August 30. The DEP had sought a record $8.9 million fine against Range for a well failure on May 11, 2015 that contaminated five residential water wells, groundwater, and a stream with high levels of methane. The DEP blamed a faulty cement well casing for the leak. The out-of-court settlement does not require Range Resources to pay any fine at all, but the DEP “reserves the right to assess penalties in the future.” Read more, and view the full text of the actual settlement, here.
Upcoming Events
Go Green Festival Electric Car Show
Saturday, September 16, Noon-5 PM
Kohl’s Lower Lot, Cranberry Commons
1717 Route 228
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
Saturday, September 16, Noon-5 PM
Kohl’s Lower Lot, Cranberry Commons
1717 Route 228
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
