In May 2015 MDN reported that after more than two years of acrimony and lawsuits between Range Resources and Mt. Pleasant (Washington County), PA., Range agreed to close four freshwater ponds (called “impoundments,” not to be confused with wastewater impoundments) the company was using to drill wells in nearby non-Mt. Pleasant locations (see Range Capitulates, Closing 4 Freshwater Ponds in Mt. Pleasant, PA). Mt. Pleasant is one of the original seven selfish towns that sued PA to overturn portions of the Act 13 oil and gas law. They won. Sooner or later a company can take a hint that a township is anti-business, so Range left town. Mt. Pleasant never followed up their victory in 2013 to fix a “hole” in their zoning ordinances. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference. MDN notices two permits issued in Mt. Pleasant Township in early 2015, and nothing since then, according to our Databook series. But the radicals at PennFuture have noticed. Even with little-to-no drilling, PennFuture is threatening to sue Mt. Pleasant unless they adopt far more restrictive ordinances on shale drilling in the town. Which points out PennFuture’s hypocrisy. It’s OK for a town to pass really restrictive zoning laws, but if the town chooses to not pass such laws, which is allowable under the Act 13 court case decision, that’s not OK by PennFuture. The door only swings one way for the radicals of PennFuture…
