It’s amazing to me what the Washington County (PA) commissioners get away with. Of course, with Range Resources influencing their decisions via monetary campaign donations, it’s a no wonder. When will the idiots of this area wake up and take a look at what’s happening around them?
Take this for instance, changes in gas drilling leases without the county government letting the public know. Oh, they’ll say they gave notice. Yeah they did. 24 hours. That’s not shady at all, huh?
Three West Middletown-area residents and one with family ties to the area chastised Washington County commissioners Thursday, saying they would have preferred more notice on an amendment to the lease with Range Resources for natural gas drilling in Cross Creek County Park.
Ellen Armstrong, whose family farm became 125 park acres before the flood-control dam was built, said she had the opportunity to ride horseback over much of the land that later became a park totaling 2,400 acres.
“I’m concerned that an endangered species in this county is going to be a hilltop without a (well) pad,” Armstrong said.
Her husband, Gary, who is still rankled by clear-cutting done in error on the West Middletown Cemetery property for a well pad, said he believes Cross Creek is getting short shrift in both expenditures and programs compared with Mingo Creek County Park.’
Paul Parker, a 36-year resident of Hopewell Township, was a planning commission member in the 1970s with a vision for recreation, but he said Cross Creek has strayed, turning into an industrial park.
And Mr. Parker is 100% correct. By the way, he’s my Dad.
“We have lost complete control of our local government. We don’t have a voice anymore. Range (Resources) speaks louder than the citizens,” Parker said before his remarks were met with applause.
Cha-Ching! It’s about time someone said that. Again, he’s absolutely 100% correct. Round of applause? Excellent!
Robert Donnan of Peters Township was unsuccessful in his attempt to have the board table its decision and attempt to gather more public input.
Commission Chairman Larry Maggi asked those with questions about the lease modifications to meet with Scott Fergus, director of administration, and he also discussed the matter with the Armstrongs.
What? Mr. Maggi won’t answer the questions? Why not? Isn’t that his job? What, he cannot handle the heat? Oh man, get this guy out.
The vote to amend the county’s lease with Range Resources was unanimous.
Fergus said under the original terms of the lease, Range could have drilled 22 wells over a period of 22 years. Instead, it is now limited to eight years and a total of seven well pads.
There are currently four well pads in the park. The first gas well in the park was a vertical well.
“No one contemplated well pads with horizontal drilling,” Solicitor J. Lynn DeHaven said.
The county’s oil and gas royalty, formerly 14.5 percent, has been increased to 16 percent.
The commissioners were not required to hold specific meetings on the topic to seek public comment. “It’s representative government,” Fergus said
“Do you pick one topic that’s more important than another and decide to wait on it?” Maggi asked rhetorically after the meeting.
Fergus also noted two master plans for the park have had different objectives. The original plan in 1972 called for a golf course, miniature golf, lodges, a ski slope and ball fields, none of which came to pass after a second master plan was developed in the late 1990s.
The lake has a boat launch accessible from the Route 18 side of the park, and another one, called the Thompson Hill boat launch, is to be built on the Route 844 side.
Since the signing of the original lease in 2003, the county has received $3,798,465 in revenues from all sources.
Of that, $1,669,311 was used for capital expenses at the county parks and $1,559,630 was deposited into the general fund, $569,524 of which remains in the gas revenue account.
The main capital expenses were paving of roads and paths in both Mingo and Cross Creek, equipment such as tractors, dump truck, mowers, playground equipment for both Mingo and Cross Creek, a sand volleyball court, the design and permits for the new boat launch development, diagnostics and repair of the Cross Creek sluice gate and the Mingo Park bike and walking path.
“We will be using substantial funds to complete the Thompson Hill development, which will be similar to the present boat launch area,” Fergus said.
Ya know, this reminds me of another recent story tied to fracking:
The state Fish and Boat Commission will accept a bonus payment of $2.2 million from a Marcellus Shale natural gas driller under an oil and gas development lease at the damaged Dutch Fork Lake property in Donegal Township.
The money from Southpointe-based Range Resources will fund the commission’s efforts to repair dozens of other high-hazard dams it owns across the state, said Eric Levis, the commission’s press secretary.
“It takes years to rebuild these and a lot of money,” said Levis, estimating the commission needs nearly $30 million to repair all of its dams.
The commission also will receive 18 percent in royalties on gas produced from the property under the terms of the lease agreement the commission approved Tuesday, he said.
The commission last year approved a Marcellus Shale program, which allows drillers to tap into the oil and gas under its properties only if they can set up drilling rigs on adjoining land, Levis said.
“They are not allowed to bring equipment onto our property,” he said.
The commission already has secured the $4.5 million it needs to rebuild the Donegal dam and restore Dutch Fork Lake, which was drained in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Work on that project began in August.
Range spokesman Matt Pitzarella was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Unavailable for comment, eh? Gee, I –wonder- why.
Hmmm, wait a second … Wasn’t state funding set aside/approved to restore Dutch Fork Lake? So, what happens to that money? What’s going on here? How will the lake be restored (which supposedly began in August) if the State of PA agreed to a gas lease on the property? Why aren’t these questions being posed? Let’s see how much of the funds being brought in from this lease are actually used on dams/spillways. I bet it’ll be none. Excuses will be made like, “funding ran out for this, so we took it for that” and so forth. That money will go nowhere except in Corbett’s cronies somebody’s pocket. You watch and see.
(Click image to enlarge. All emphasis added by me, of course)
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