Dallas Twp, PA Approves Natural Gas Pipeline Near School

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On Wednesday, Dallas Township (Luzerne County), PA supervisors voted unanimously to approve an agreement with Chief Gathering to run a natural gas pipeline within a third of a mile of the Dallas district schools and through a local housing development. Some of the residents who attended the meeting strongly objected to the vote, accusing the supervisors of approving an agreement not available for review by residents and accusing Chief and other drilling industry companies of “monster arrogance.”

The agreement, similar to one the supervisors approved on Aug. 16 with Williams Field Services, sets provisions Chief must follow in the construction of a pipeline from natural gas wells in Susquehanna County to connect with the Transco interstate pipeline in Dallas Township.

The township’s planning commission gave Chief conditional approval Tuesday night for the pipeline; the company has to show proof it has obtained the required state permits.

Township solicitor Thomas Brennan said the agreement with Chief, like that with Williams, calls for:

* A 25-foot setback away from neighboring properties.

* Chief still has to go through a land development and zoning process for the metering station to measure gas going into the Transco.

* All laws and federal regulations will apply to the pipeline construction.

* The metering station has to be "as benign" as it can be.

* Chief won’t put anything else natural gas-related within 1.75 miles of the Dallas district schools.*

*Wilkes-Barre The Citizen’s Voice (Sep 15, 2011) – Dallas Twp. residents angered by pipeline approval