Emsworth nixes gas drilling in park, i.e., good sense blocks greed/shale drillers

[Divernan]

Emsworth nixes gas drilling in park
Council's 7-0 vote halts controversial shale proposal
Thursday, April 14, 2011
By Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Emsworth council on Wednesday unanimously rejected a controversial lease that would have allowed drilling for Marcellus Shale natural gas under ACORD Municipal Park, effectively voiding the agreement.

The lease with Energy US LLC, a Downtown Pittsburgh company, was contingent upon approval of four of the five municipalities that oversee the 119-acre park in Kilbuck and Ohio Township.

Ohio Township council approved the drilling deal April 4. But after the agreement attracted opposition from numerous residents, the Ben Avon Heights council unanimously rejected it at its meeting Tuesday. The other two councils -- Kilbuck and Ben Avon -- have yet to address the issue, and probably don't need to.

"It's a moot point. The deal is ," said Avonworth Municipal Authority chairman Ed Gould, who signed the lease two weeks ago. He said he will send a letter to Energy US today informing the leasing company of the decision.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11104/1139287-54.stm#ixzz1JUYIf7ej
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

A rare bit of sanity saves at least one community for the time being.