5 days ago
Company rescinds plans to remove 1.5 million gallons of water daily from Big Sewickley Creek
A fracking company is backpedaling on plans to remove more than 1 million gallons of water per day from a treasured Beaver County creek.
This change of heart was welcoming news for hundreds of people in the community and many environmentalists.
Big Sewickley Creek update
In January 2024, PennEnergy Resources got approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to remove up to 1.5 million gallons of water a day from Big Sewickley Creek. However, the fracking company has changed its mind.
PennEnergy was granted two permits: one letting it pull water from the creek on Cooney Hollow Road in Economy Borough and another to build an above-ground waterline to carry that water to a nearby shale gas well pad.
The company asked the state to pull those permits in March. The company said in the filed documents, "It appears that pass-by flow conditions required for the proposed surface water intake to be operational are not likely to materialize during PennEnergy's current well development operations."
"Relief, disbelief, excitement," said Katie Stanley, president of the Big Sewickley Creek Watershed Association.
"As people that are familiar with Big Sewickley Creek, it runs dangerously low already during the summer. So, any risk to removing more water from that watershed was something we were very concerned about," she added.
Stanley said it's been a four-year-long battle for the association and community members to try to protect the creek. The association even filed an appeal to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board last year.
"Collecting signatures on petitions, contacting the DEP, writing letters, explaining why we believe this to be a bad decision to take this water from the creek. So really, we have to thank everybody that was involved," Stanley said.
"It's super validating, because one of our biggest arguments since the beginning was that they can and should get water from much larger water bodies," she added.
According to DEP documents, PennEnergy is already permitted to remove 5 million gallons of water per day from the Ohio River in Freedom Borough and has permits to take water from a few other local water sources.
Stanley said it's sad to see all the forest that was cleared and the construction that was done along Big Sewickley Creek, but they're celebrating the fact that the plan was reeled in.
It's not just a victory for the watershed association, but also for the community members and wildlife.
"The residents of the community not having that heavy industrial operation happening in their backyards," Stanley said. "Also, it's a huge spot for recreation, whether that's fishing or swimming, or hiking, or biking. Definitely a huge win for the people, but also important to mention the plants, the animals, everything in between. There's a threatened species of fish that calls Big Sewickly Creek home, known as the southern redbelly dace, and any operations like this would definitely hinder their ability to reproduce and live successfully."
PennEnergy had originally wanted to withdraw up to 3 million gallons of water a day from the creek.
KDKA-TV's Jessica Guay reached out to PennEnergy Resources to learn more about the decision to surrender the two permits for Big Sewickley Creek and how they plan to remediate the site, but did not hear back on Tuesday. KDKA-TV is also waiting to hear back from the DEP.
