Monday, May 6, 2013
Board of supervisors also approves purchase of new equipment and the final land development plan for a planned non-residential development at Pittsburgh International Business Park.
Seitel Data Co. Ltd. of Monaca plans to conduct seismic testing in Moon Township—even though there is no Marcellus Shale drilling permitted where the testing is being done. At its meeting last week, the Moon Township Board of Supervisors approved a request by the firm, which is headquartered in Houston, TX, to conduct a seismic survey across state, county, and local roads within a small portion of the township. The locations, terms and conditions will be set forth in an agreement to be prepared by the township solicitor and approved by the township manager. At the board meeting in April, the firm had asked to conduct the study specifically on Spring Run Road Ext., a county road, and North Flaugherty Run Road, a township road. The board …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
As the Marcellus Shale industry expands in western Pennsylvania—and individual property owners start to benefit—issues often become controversial, especially when it comes to the environment.
Marcellus Shale is here to stay. Like its natural resource predecessors—coal deep mining and strip mining, natural gas and oil wells, and logging—Marcellus Shale drilling brings jobs and a source of energy for businesses and consumers. Like its predessors, Marcellus Shale drilling also brings and will most likely leave behind environmental concerns. Today, there's mine insurance today for those who own homes and businesses above areas that were mined for coal 100 or more years ago. Reclamation efforts were mandated in 1977 to restore areas destroyed by strip mining and why there's always a danger of an oil or gas well fire or leak into waterways. Reforestation replaces trees lost to the logging industry. Already, Marcellus Shale has raised…
Monday, March 11, 2013
A Texas company could begin the testing in the North Flaughtery Run Road and Spring Run Road Extension area.
A Texas-based firm is requesting to perform seismic testing in a portion of Moon Township. Discovery Acquisition Services seeks to perform the testing, a form of natural gas detection, in areas off of North Flaugherty Run Road and Spring Run Road Extension. John Gordon, a project manager for Discovery, said the firm must request permission from property owners in the area before testing can begin. He said Discovery is interested in conducting the testing in an area that spans fewer than two miles. "The majority of our job is in Beaver County," Gordon said. "There's just a sliver, triangle-wedge-shaped property we're looking at in Moon." Both Spring Run Road Extension and North Flaugherty Run Road are maintained by Allegheny County. …
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Drillers ready to begin natural gas extraction on land surrounding Pittsburgh International Airport.
Energy companies have offered to buy gas and oil rights from more than 300 individuals in Moon and Findlay townships. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that while the Allegheny County Airport Authority leased some 9,000 acres of land to Cecil-based Consol Energy in exchange for $500 million, some local land owners have been offered as little as $1 per parcel for their land's oil and gas rights. Moon resident Paul McLaughlin told the newspaper he feels "robbed" after leasing his property in 2004 and 2005: “It just seems like we were robbed,” McLaughlin said. “I told my sister, ‘Did you see what these crooks did?' They said there was nothing of value out there. And lo and behold, they're going to make $500 million in the next 20 years…
Monday, February 18, 2013
A look ahead at what's going on in Moon and Robinson for the week of Feb. 18, 2013.
Offices closed today for President's Day Moon and Robinson township municipal offices are closed today for President's Day. Moon School Board holds special meeting The Moon Area School Board will meet at 7 p.m. tonight in the high school meeting room to discuss the 2013-2014 preliminary budget. Moon Volunteer Fire Department fish fry on for Friday The township's Lenten fish fry fundraiser will again take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Moon Public Safety Building, 1000 Beaver Grade Road. Robinson EMS fundraiser set for Saturday Robinson EMS will host a concert fundraiser at the Moon Run Fire Hall. Read our story on the event for more information on attending. Findlay Township hosts Marcellus shale open house The Allegheny County …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Hundreds pack Robert Morris University for a public hearing on Marcellus shale gas drilling at Pittsburgh International Airport. The potential deal could generate an estimated $500 million for the airport.
Former Moon resident Gary Sheffler said his civil engineering firm PVE Sheffler struggled in the years after U.S. Airways abandoned its hub and cut flights at Pittsburgh International—a move that triggered a downturn in the overall airport corridor economy. "To put a personal face on this, my company went from 15 employees down to three employees," said Sheffler, speaking before hundreds Thursday at a public hearing at Robert Morris University. The burgeoning natural gas drilling industry in Western Pennsylvania has helped his company grow to hire a staff of 70, he said. "I would have a hard time telling 70 people with families and kids, 'I think we have got to shut it down because of the environment,' " he said. Allegheny County …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Allegheny County Council will meet in February in Moon Township.
Allegheny County Council in February will consider a 30-year agreement between the county airport authority and Cecil-based energy company Consol Energy. The agreement would enable Marcellus shale extraction to take place on land surrounding Pittsburgh International Airport and the West Mifflin county airport. More than 900 acres of county-owned land surrounds Pittsburgh International, much of it in Moon Township. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will introduce the legislation at the council's Feb. 7 meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. in the Sewall Center at Robert Morris University in Moon Township. Members of the public can address the board during the public hearing. Click here to register to speak at the event, which will …
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Township supervisors will hold a public hearing on the matter tonight.
The Moon Board of Supervisors will vote on adoption of a new oil and gas drilling ordinance following a public hearing at 7 p.m. at the municipal building. Supervisors will adopt one of three versions of the revised ordinance, which must be modified to include restrictions specific to Marcellus shale drilling. "The first step and the only prerogative for the township is determining the zoning, where in the township this could take place," said Marv Eicher, chairman of the Moon Board of Supervisors. The township must comply with new conditions of the state's Act 13 law concerning Marcellus shale drilling activities in the state. In 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly approved a piece of legislation, known as Act 13, that stripped …
Monday, October 15, 2012
Moon, Robinson and Coraopolis, as well as other local municipalities, stand to benefit from the Act 13 impact fee—but not very much.
Gov. Tom Corbett today announced that Act 13 has generated more than $204.2 million through the new impact fee. Most of this money will be distributed directly to local communities across the state—including Moon, Robinson, Crescent and Coraopolis. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that those communities will have their share of the local impact fee withheld until their ordinances governing drilling have been reviewed by the state and deemed in compliance with Act 13. In all four instances, residents lobbied the Public Utilities Commission to review those ordinances. In addition, Range Resources also filed a request for South Fayette's ordinance to be reviewed. Local municipalities will not benefit greatly. Moon Township will receive $…
Friday, September 21, 2012
The amicus brief filed in support of affirming the efforts of seven municipalities, a medical doctor and a nonprofit challenging the state's Marcellus Shale law was filed Tuesday.
State Sen. Jim Ferlo has enlisted the support of 15 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in signing on to an amicus brief affirming the efforts of the seven municipalities that sued the Commonwealth to overturn zoning provisions of Act 13—although state Sen. Tim Solobay was not among those who signed. Solobay represents three of the Pennsylvania communities that challenged the law. The amicus brief specifically requests that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirm the decision of the Commonwealth Court’s majority ruling that found that these sections of Act 13 were unconstitutional. “In my opinion, it means higher taxes, higher energy costs and loss of jobs and I don’t support any of that,” Solobay said, explaining why he did not sign onto …
Tom Barchfeld
8:38 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Mike, the EPA head herself could not find 1 instance of pollution in 60 years of fracking history. more ›