Penn Township Allows Drilling to Avoid $300M Lawsuit by Apex

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This news is a bit dated, from last December, but important nonetheless. Under threat of a $300 million lawsuit, Penn Township (Westmoreland County, PA) voted to allow Apex Energy to build two Marcellus well pads, and arranged for more hearings on four more well pads. In April 2016 Penn Township blocked permits for Apex well pads (see Penn Twp Blocks Apex Energy Well Pad Request, What Next?). In May it happened again (see Penn Twp Commissioners Block Apex Shale Well Request in 3-2 Vote). In June the town began to ramp up talk of uber-restrictions on drilling, via zoning ordinances (see Penn Township Considering More Restrictions on Drilling). And in August, the town held a hearing on a proposed new Marcellus-killing ordinance (see Penn Twp Hearing Discusses Marcellus-Killing Ordinance). Meanwhile, Apex was losing $70,000 PER DAY by not drilling on land for which they held valid, legal leases, and for wells that were duly permitted by the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection. So Apex launched a lawsuit to make the town pay for its harmful actions. By December, the town board was singing a different tune (about time)…

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