Woman appeals approval of well pad
A grandmother of Fort Cherry School District students wants a Washington County judge to send a gas well driller’s application back to Mt. Pleasant Township supervisors, arguing officials should have allowed her to comment at a hearing on the well pad near the district campus before they signed off on the plans.
Attorney Jordan Yeager, who represents Jane Worthington of Ross Township, wrote in a land use appeal filed Friday in Washington County court Worthington’s two grandchildren, 10 and 12, “will have extended exposure to the health risks of the unconventional natural gas development” because of the amount of time they spend near the planned well pad.
The appeal accused supervisors of breaching Worthington’s rights under the state constitution by improperly denying her the chance to testify at a public hearing and failing to consider health implications of approving the plans.
Township solicitor Thomas McDermott couldn’t be reached for comment.
“We appreciate that the township conducted a thorough review of this location under its comprehensive ordinance,” said Range spokesman Matt Pitzarella in an email. “Above all else, in addition to the positions of state and federal agencies we hope that a published study commissioned by the school, determining drilling did not affect air or health, provides confidence in responsible gas development.”
Worthington has custody of her two grandchildren. Yeager wrote the 12-year girl was diagnosed in 2011 with asthma, which the appeal attributed to exposure to benzene, a chemical used in fracking.
Supervisors gave conditional approval Sept. 28 for Southpointe-based Range Resource’s plans to build a well pad at the Yonker site, roughly three-quarters of a mile from the complex that contains the two district school buildings.
During an Aug. 22 hearing on the plans, officials barred anyone but owners of property within one-half mile of the site.
When Worthington asked to participate as an “aggrieved party” in that meeting, Yeager said in his appeal that the board denied her request.
The appeal also alleged the well pad will pose health risks to Worthington’s granddaughter because of its proximity to the campus, yet the supervisors wouldn’t hear testimony about that subject.