An environmental group is celebrating after an energy company abandoned its plans to take water from Big Sewickley Creek to develop shale gas wells in Beaver County.

In March, the state Department of Environmental Protection rescinded permits issued to PennEnergy Resources at the company’s request. It ended a four-year battle between the company and residents concerned that the creek and the wildlife it supports would be harmed.

The DEP in January 2024 approved permits allowing PennEnergy to take 1.5 million gallons of water per day from Big Sewickley Creek at a site on Cooney Hollow Road and to build an above-ground water line to carry the water to its nearby B50 well pad on Amsler Ridge Road in Economy.

In addition to most of Economy, the Big Sewickley Creek watershed covers areas including Marshall, Franklin Park, Bell Acres, Leet and Leetsdale in Allegheny County and Ambridge in Beaver County.

PennEnergy originally had asked in July 2021 for permission to withdraw 3 million gallons of water per day from the creek and 1 million gallons per day from its north fork.

Citing concerns about the impact on a state-threatened fish, the southern redbelly dace, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recommended that another water source be used. The DEP denied the applications in October 2021.

PennEnergy spokeswoman Amanda Peterson said recent, naturally occurring alterations of the streambed conditions made it unlikely that its approved withdrawal location would be viable to meet pass-by flow conditions. She did not explain further.

“PennEnergy Resources therefore decided to rescind the approved permit, as it was no longer a viable source of water due to the changed stream conditions,” she said, adding that it did so voluntarily, “and not in response to public pressure or by request from any regulatory authority.”

The Big Sewickley Creek Watershed Association appealed the permits issued to the company in March 2024. Its appeal was dismissed as moot on May 8.

In addition to the creek supporting many species of conservation concern, the association said, the Cooney Hollow site is popular for trout fishing, swimming and other recreation. It said the water withdrawals would have devastating and irreversible impacts and that another source, such as the Ohio River, should be considered instead.

PennEnergy’s surrendering of the permits validates the watershed association’s position that Big Sewickley Creek does not have enough flow and that other sources should have been considered, association President Katie Stanley said.

“The rescissions mean a victory not only for us in the association who have fought these actions for over four years, but also for the fishermen, the residents, the southern redbelly dace, the great blue herons in our beloved rookery, the soil, air and water of the watershed, and the future generations that will call the Big Sewickley Creek Watershed home,” Stanley said.

PennEnergy did not take any water from the creek while its permits were valid from Jan. 29, 2024, to April 22, 2025, Peterson said.

PennEnergy is using other water sources to complete the B50 wells, Peterson said, but she did not specify which are being used. The wells are expected to go into production by the end of July.

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