Dec 22, 2016 3 min read

Robinson Township supervisors decided Thursday to delay a vote on a natural gas processor’s plans to build a third compressor station near the Allegheny County line.

The board of supervisors made the decision following a conditional-use hearing on the plans during which Rob McHale, special project manager for MarkWest Energy, and Matt Bagaley of Gateway Engineers explained MarkWest’s plans, which include a roughly eight-acre well pad with a station housing six natural-gas-fired engines, on property owned by the company.

Board Chairman Roger Kendall said although two of three members were present to vote, providing the necessary quorum to decide on the plans, he wanted to put off a decision until all three supervisors could vote. Supervisor Mary Donaldson was present for much of the hearing, which started about two hours late as officials waited for a court reporter to arrive, and Kendall said his colleague had to leave.

He said the company’s proposal – which includes a conditional-use application and land-development plans – will be on the agenda for the supervisors’ Jan. 2 meeting, which will be held at the township building following a reorganization session scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

The township planning commission recommended approving the plans earlier this month.

McHale said the Department of Environmental Protection granted a permit for earth moving related to the plans. The company is waiting for the agency to approve its application for a GP-5 permit, which covers natural gas facilities identified as minor sources of contamination.

No one from the audience of about 10 spoke in opposition to the plans. Among those observing the proceeding was John Campbell, a landowner who’s been outspoken in his support of the natural gas industry in the area.

He said MarkWest installed a natural gas pipeline on his roughly 220-acre cattle farm in Bulger at least three years ago.

“We worked with MarkWest, and they put it along the property line,” said the U.S. Air Force retiree, who is also Donaldson’s father. He said he’s had “no problem with the cattle.”

“There’s no problem with the air,” he said. “The cows aren’t coming out with big lumps on them.”

McHale said the nearest home is more than 1,100 feet from the proposed station. The company plans to access the site from nearby Sunnyhill Road, which is in Findlay Township.

Kendall said the oil and gas section of the township’s land-use ordinance is “so well written, if you simply follow along when you apply for something, you already covered” most of the issues the township would otherwise have to address by imposing additional conditions.

He said most of the conditions the township would normally impose in an application of this type would be “based on traffic, school buses, things of that nature.”

“They’re not driving in our township at all,” Kendall said. “There’s no residences nearby for any kind of restrictions of anything of that nature.”