Article 1, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution reads:
"The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and aesthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all of the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."
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Butler Township has a drilling ordinance that allows shale-gas drilling in all zoning districts, including residential.
It is for that reason that the Krendale well pad, located in close proximity to several homes on or near N. Eberhart Road and Rte. 68, as well as within a mile of the V.A. Hospital, Benbrook Medical Center and Northwest Elementary School, is be before the Board of Commissioners on Mon., Sept. 15 for approval. Because the plan for the well pad satisfies all the requirements of the ordinance, the commissioners MAY HAVE NO CHOICE, legally, but to approve the Krendale well pad. It may well be that the only way to possibly stop this well pad from being constructed is through a court injunction attached to a legal challenge of the township's drilling ordinance. We have retained the services of a legal firm and are exploring legal options to help us achieve our goals. Our lawyers have counseled us that the township's drilling ordinance may well violate Article 1, Section 27 of the PA Constitution. If the Krendale well pad is approved, Butler Township will have two residential well pads in place, the other being on Schaffner Road near Highfield. How many more will follow? As long as the ordinance allowing residential drilling is in place, the commissioners will keep approving residential well pads. |
Northwest Elementary School Is Within the One-Mile Evacuation Radius!
Section 27 Alliance has determined that Northwest Elementary School is within the one-mile evacuation radius of the Krendale well pad. Because of this, Section 27 has partnered with another concerned citizens' group, Protect Our Children, to draw attention to this aspect of what is obviously a many-layered problem with both residential well pads and the generally inadequate setbacks created by state and local government. Section 27 welcomes Protect Our Children as part of our fight to stop residential drilling in Butler Township!
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Make a tax deductible Check Donation to Section 27 Alliance BCBT and Mail to:
Section 27 Alliance - P.O. Box 306, Lyndora, PA 16045