Murrysville Council approves 2nd fracking well operation on Plum border

Murrysville Council last week unanimously approved what will be the municipality’s second unconventional gas drilling operation on a property straddling the border with Plum.

Canonsburg-based Olympus Energy is seeking to build the Hermes unconventional gas drilling well on a 147-acre property just southwest of the Rolling Fields Golf Club, on the 5000 block of Logans Ferry Road. The land is zoned rural-residential and is in the municipality’s oil and gas overlay district.

Part of the property extends into Allegheny County and neighboring Plum.

Olympus officials said the rough timeline for the project upon approval is 120 days of construction, 240 days of drilling and 240 days for completion.

An initial round of drilling would take place between December 2023 and February 2024, with completions to follow in April 2024, project engineer Ryan Dailey said. A second round of drilling would take place in spring 2025, for a total of eight wells, Lucas said.

Olympus Energy owns and operates the Titan well pad off Bollinger Road.

Plans for the fracking well also include proposed road improvements, including installing a traffic light at the intersection of Saltsburg Road and Golden Mile Highway and widening Saltsburg’s intersection with Logan Ferry Road to better accommodate truck traffic to and from the site.

Olympus attorney Blaine Lucas said the Hermes project ultimately would include eight wells.

Councilwoman Jamie Lee Korns abstained from voting, as her husband works as an attorney for law firm Babst Calland, which is representing Olympus. Councilman Jason Lemak was not present.

Office park approved

Council approved the next phase of a mixed-use development near the intersection of Manor and Wilson roads in Murrysville.

Health care company Dedicated Nursing Associates is planning a corporate campus for employees, the Fusting Executive Park project. Council approved the first phase, a plan for 18 “luxury villas” called Regan Ridge Villas, in early 2021.

The 47-acre project is slated to include roughly 80,000 square feet for an office complex, and 36,000 square feet of retail space including two restaurants.

Project planners also are proposing dedicated left-turn lanes in both directions on Manor Road as well as a PennDOT-approved traffic signal at its intersection with Wilson Road.

‘Luxury estates’ proposed near park

Council held a public hearing on Murrysville resident Paul Fischione’s proposal to develop more than 55 acres near the intersection of Wiestertown and Hilty roads in 28 “luxury estates” on lots of at least an acre.

“I spent a lot of time looking at where I ultimately wanted to build my ‘forever home’ and settled on this property,” Fischione said.

The property is located near the headwaters of Steele’s Run, and Fischione said he undertook a former delineation of both the stream and the accompanying wetlands.

He said lots will start at $250,000 and home packages at $1.2 million.

“The lots are secluded, and they’ll be wooded,” Fischione said. “All the backyards border on conservation areas, so it’s going to yield the ultimate in privacy, with beautiful views.”