Olympus Energy drops appeal for denied well pad in West Deer; residents to fight one recently approved

A Washington County oil and gas company wants to drop its court appeal for a well pad project West Deer supervisors rejected in 2021.

Olympus Energy LLC filed the application for discontinuance in Commonwealth Court on Wednesday. The company had appealed West Deer’s decision to reject the proposed Dionysus well pad, which would have been located at a site accessed from Middle Road Extension.

Supervisors denied the Dionysus plan in December 2021, stating it did not meet township zoning ordinances. Olympus appealed that decision in August to Allegheny County Court, where a judge affirmed the township’s ruling.

The case was argued before Commonwealth Court judges in May, and a decision hadn’t yet been rendered.

But Olympus noted in court documents that, on June 21, the West Deer supervisors approved its application for its Leto project, another gas well pad on Oak Road.

Leto is about a mile from Dionysus and, Olympus said in court documents, “its development will allow Olympus to access a significant portion of the oil and gas lease acreage that otherwise would have been accessed via the Dionysus well pad.”

As of Friday, the court hadn’t acted on Olympus’ request for appeal, but Olympus did notify the township that it was withdrawing the Dionysus application.

“With the township’s approval of our industrial zoned Leto well pad, Olympus has redesigned development in the area to eliminate plans for the Dionysus well pad. This reduces potential surface disturbance and minimizes our impact within the township,” Olympus’ statement read. “As a result, we are seeking a discontinuation of our appeal to the Commonwealth Court for the Dionysus well pad and have withdrawn the Dionysus applications from West Deer Township’s consideration, rendering the case moot.”

Tim Resciniti of Concerned Residents of West Deer, a collective of township residents opposed to the well, said Olympus asking the court to discontinue the Dionysus appeal, “essentially conceding,” is a win for the township.

“This allows West Deer’s denial and Common Pleas’ decision upholding that denial to stand,” he said. “It was clear after the oral arguments that Olympus’ appeal wasn’t going well.

“Thanks to our collective efforts, this is ‘a win’ for the interveners, the previous West Deer Township board, and all of the residents who would have been impacted by Dionysus. This is not a small feat against a company with deep pockets.”

It is rare for a collective to find success in its opposition against well pads and drilling, according to Resciniti.

“It is striking that many of the same problems that led to the Dionysus denial, which was found legally correct during the appeal, also exist for Leto. It’s shameful that the current board of supervisors sided with an out-of-town corporation rather than their own residents and the law,” he said.

But the battle is still on — when the Leto plan was approved last month, neighbors said they planned to appeal that decision. They have until July 20 — 30 days since the township ruling — to do so.

Those opposed to Leto say the well would be harmful to the community’s health, safety and welfare, and that it doesn’t comply with township ordinances.