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A group of about 30 Weirton residents met in a town hall Wednesday night, hoping to encourage others in the community to speak out against a proposal to construct a natural gas well pad in the city.
Facilitated by resident and former city manager Joe DiBartolomeo, the gathering at the Millsop Community Center focused on a proposal by SWN Productions, also known as Southwestern Energy, which seeks to install the well pad on approximately 300 acres of land owned by Brownlee Land Ventures in an area off of Park Drive.
A conditional use permit for the project was denied by the Weirton Zoning Board of Appeals in September; however, SWN has filed for permitting with the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as appealed the Zoning Board's decision and filed suit against the City of Weirton through Brooke County Circuit Court.
DiBartolomeo explained the permit from the state currently is going through a public comment period, which he said ends next Wednesday.
According to DiBartolomeo, who said he has spoken to Brewer, as of Wednesday morning, the DEP had received 14 comments on the permit application.
DiBartolomeo explained he had submitted his own comment, in which he said there would be adverse effects to the Three Springs Drive area as a result of the proposed project.
"It's the center of our commercial and retail," DiBartolomeo said. "There isn't a worse place in the city of Weirton to put this."
Weirton Utilities Director Butch Mastrantoni also spoke, noting potential impacts the project could have on the city's water system, which uses both river water and water sourced from an aquifer he said is located approximately 500 yards from the proposed well pad site.
"The Water Board stands opposed to this," Mastrantoni said, noting the board plans to send its own comments to the DEP.
Several others in attendance also spoke, including Carol Kraina, who said she has experience in the natural gas industry and environmental cleanup operations.
"It's absolutely abhorrent they would even consider doing this," she said of the SWN proposal. "You can fight this and win."
Resident Tom Zielinsky cited safety concerns in the event an emergency would take place at the well pad.
"You have three hotels, two major restaurants, three financial institutions," he said, also noting numerous retailers. "How do you evacuate all those people?"
Several suggested organizing a petition through the community, as well as establishing a social media presence to help spread the word and encourage others to submit comments.