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Lawrence County leaders focus on safety of Slippery Rock Creek in fracking
NEW CASTLE, Pa.
Lawrence County Commissioners asked the County Planning Department Tuesday to research the flow of the Slippery Rock Creek to make sure that removal of hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per day from the creek by oil- and gas-exploration companies for hydraulic fracturing will not leave water levels too low.
Though commissioners must be notified of such plans, they acknowledged they have no authority over such use of public water except to voice comments to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which has oversight.
According to the statement received by commissioners, Shell Western Exploration and Production, of Warrendale, Pa., has filed a request with the DEP to be included in Rex Energy Corp.’s permit to remove 960,000 gallons per day from Slippery Rock Creek. Shell spokesperson Kimberly Windon said that Shell has worked out an agreement with Rex Energy to use some of the water that Rex is not currently using.
However, Commissioner Steve Craig commented, “That creek gets very low at times.” He asked Amy McKinney of the Lawrence County Planning Department to determine whether removal of this amount of water will negatively impact the creek.
According to its website, Rex Energy is an independent energy company engaged in acquisition, production, exploration and development of oil and gas. It has 20 “gross wells” in the Butler County area awaiting “fracture stimulation and completion.”
Also Tuesday, commissioners appointed Howard Thompson of Neshannock Township to the West Central Job Partnership Workforce Investment Board for a term beginning Sept. 1, 2011, and ending Aug. 31, 2014. Thompson is a member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and was recommended by the Beaver/Lawrence Labor Council.
Commission Chairman Dan Vogler announced there are four positions open on the Lawrence County Industrial Development Authority Board. Interested county residents should send commissioners a letter of interest that includes their Social Security number and their stated permission for the county to conduct a criminal background check.