Two weeks ago MDN brought you the news that not only has the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued final permits for two new injection wells in the state, they also sued the two townships where those permits were granted because the towns had adopted home rule laws that are illegal, in contravention to state law that give power to permit and control injection wells to the DEP only–not to local municipalities (see PA DEP Issues 2 Wastewater Injection Well Permits, Sues 2 Towns). Grant Township (Indiana County) tried to block Pennsylvania General Energy (PGE) from building a wastewater injection well in the township first by passing an illegal law, stirred up and proposed by the odious Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, or CELDF (see Fed Judge Overturns Grant Twp, PA Ban on Injection Wells). The town then tried to reorganize under a “home rule” charter in order to avoid the judge’s ruling (see Grant Twp, PA Reorganizes to Avoid a Court-Ordered Injection Well). The DEP is now suing Grant (and Highland Township, in Elk County) to nullify those provisions in the home rule charter that affect oil and gas regulation. In the meantime, PGE previously filed a lawsuit against Grant Township, demanding $1 million (see Anti Group CELDF Won’t Help Grant Twp Pay $1M Judgement). On March 31 and April 4, two decisions were handed down by the judge, essentially in PGE’s favor and against Grant. Below we have analysis of those decisions. All of this “bad news” for antis has created the perfect storm in Grant. Antis are now threatening to engage in so-called civil disobedience against the injection well. They plan to shut it down–or go to jail trying. Their leaders are criminals who have done this sort of thing elsewhere…
