Indiana Township rezoning would accommodate fracking off Route 910

Indiana Township resident Michael Quinn is frustrated by thoughts of more fracking in his community.

His home along Eisele Road sits not far from a gas well constructed in the past several years.

“The noise is constant — a din — and the truck traffic is ridiculous,” Quinn said in an email to TribLive.

Quinn said the fracking well pad site literally overlooked Emmerling Park ball fields and picnic groves. He said he attended meetings in 2018 to oppose that well .

A proposal by Cranberry-based MPF Management would pave the way for more gas well construction. The group is seeking a zoning amendment, from commercial to light industrial, for a 59-acre parcel along Route 910.

The request will be considered by the township’s planning commission at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

“They have no idea what they are in for,” Quinn said of any nearby residents.

Calls requesting comment from MPF were not immediately returned.

Jeff Curti, township code enforcement officer, said the property was targeted because the location would be the least intrusive to residents.

Currently zoned as office-flex/commercial, there are no homes nearby, Curti said.

“MPF came in more than a year ago with one proposal, and that was to do a fracking pad at U.S. Pallet Co. because it’s already zoned appropriately,” Curti said.

“When I saw that it bordered the back side of the Black Oak development, I asked them to find an alternative.”

The property being eyed now is hemmed by hills, parkland and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

“This is out of the way and less impactful on infrastructure,” Curti said.

“It’s a low piece of property that sits about 60 feet below 910. There’s a large hill, Emmerling Park and the turnpike is to the right.

“In my opinion, we were looking out for the residents of the township by asking them to find this alternate spot.”

Quinn said residents are expected to attend the planning meeting to voice opposition.

“I experienced this with the Miller Farm fracking and, now, the township is once again making noise about more,” Quinn said.