Nov 26, 2015 2 min read

McMURRAY – Peters Township Council on Monday approved a request from EQT Inc. to make improvements to Lutes Road in order to accommodate additional truck traffic expected to be generated by a yet-to-be-built gas well in neighboring Nottingham Township.

EQT’s planned well is on Lutes Road – approximately a quarter-mile from Peters – just off Venetia Road.

EQT plans to construct a well pad that would accommodate 24 wells. EQT owns the drilling leases on nearly 68 acres of land on Lutes Road, as well as the contiguous residential properties.

The company is still in the process of obtaining the necessary permits so the well project can move forward, Peters officials said.

“I am concerned about the proximity to residential communities,” said Councilman Frank Arcuri, who cast the lone dissenting vote on the road-improvement request.

“I realize it is not in the township, but it is right next door,” Arcuri added.

To date, there are no gas wells in Peters, but there are active wells in neighboring municipalities.

Earlier this year, Peters formed a committee of township officials, along with council and planning commission members, to explore the possibility of natural gas drilling in the municipality.

In other business, council approved an alternate design strategy for replacement of its amphitheater in Peterswood Park, a project expected to cost about $600,000.

The 30-year-old amphitheater, while still usable, needs repairs, such as shoring up retaining walls.

The township has applied for several grants to offset anticipated project construction costs.