Upper Burrell supervisors approve new Marcellus well; several residents object

Upper Burrell supervisors have unanimously approved a new Marcellus shale natural gas well.

Several residents objected at a hearing Wednesday night to the location of an access road and potential drainage concerns.

Olympus Energy LLC, of Canonsburg, requested permission to develop a Marcellus shale well pad at 4806 Seventh Street Road.

The property sits across the road from the entrance to the Arconic Technology Center. Arconic is leasing the industrial land to Olympus. Construction of the well pad will disturb about 20 acres of the forested land.

The company met all of the township’s development conditions to win approval for the well, said Steve Yakopec, township solicitor. He led the hearing proceedings.

That didn’t allay concerns from some residents who live near the well site.

Two men who live on Merwin Road, below the proposed well pad, said they were concerned about drainage.

“Water pours off that hill,” said Paul Kaczor. “If you add more water, there will be an ocean of water on our properties.”

The project manager, Ryan Dailey of Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., said three retention ponds will be installed to catch runoff from the well pad. He said the ponds will capture more water at the site than before the well installation.

The new well pad is surrounded by a significant forest buffer, Dailey said. Homes are 1,300 feet or farther from the well pad, according to Olympus’ plans.

The well will be lined with a thick casing and cement to prevent issues to residents’ drinking water wells, said Scott Cleveland, director of environment, health and safety at Olympus.

The company conducts a survey of residents’ well water before a project so any changes in water quality after the project can be detected, Cleveland said.

The father of a township resident who lives next to the proposed 2,300-foot-long access road wanted fencing and screening to divert noise and light from trucks using the access road.

Olympus is working with the family on their request for noise and light barriers, said Olympus spokeswoman Kimberly Price.

George Richard, secretary of the township planning commission, requested that the company move the access road away from a small group of homes along Route 780.

Yakopec said the location of the access road was a lease transaction between Arconic and Olympus. He said the township could not turn down the well project because of the location of the access road.

Olympus is still in the process of securing permits. The company wants to develop the well and have it operational late next year.