Environmental groups appeal Slickville pipeline project permit

Two environmental groups are appealing the state’s approval for a nearly 14-mile natural gas pipeline through Bell, Loyalhanna and Salem townships, claiming the project would contaminate the environment and pose a hazard to wetlands.

Protect PT of Penn Township and Three Rivers Waterkeeper of Pittsburgh filed a joint appeal last week of two separate permits the Department of Environmental Protection issued in September. The permits would allow CNX Midstream Operating Co. LLC to use the pipeline to transport natural gas and the water produced during the drilling of a well. The appeals, filed with the state Environmental Hearing Board, contend the DEP failed to address potential environmental contamination and community health impacts.

“We’re hopeful that the EHB would agree with the deficencies, and they will ask the DEP for a resubmittal (of the application from CNX) that will address the concerns that we brought up on the appeals,” said Heather Hulton VanTassel, Three Rivers Water­keeper executive director. The permit application does not address the extent of the environmental impact of the project, VanTassel said.

The DEP would not comment on an issue involving pending litigation, said Lauren Camarda, a DEP spokeswoman in Pittsburgh.

CNX disagreed with the appeals filed by the environmental organizations against its Slickville pipeline project.

“The claims made as part of this challenge are meritless and were comprehensively addressed during the comment period process. We intend to aggressively defend the issuance of this permit,” said Brian Aiello, CNX vice president.

The project would impact 54 wetlands, 43 streams and two ponds, all of which contribute to the region’s drinking water, said VanTassel, who added the pipeline would carry highly radioactive water containing heavy metals and forever chemicals from the gas well, VanTassel said.

Among the alleged problems with the permitting of the pipeline project cited in the appeals were:

• Inconsistencies with the process, particularly by not providing updates to the three townships notifying them of revised erosion plans in March.

• Failure to address existing impairments to the Beaver Run Watershed which feeds the Beaver Run Reservoir from which drinking water is drawn.

• Discrepancy in the amount of land to be disturbed — only 31 acres permitted, but 228 acres described in project.

• No specific analysis of past land use or impact to drinking water supplies; possible omission of potential pollution, including acid mine drainage.

• Land restoration report recommends sturdier pipeline construction and antilandslide measures around the pipeline to prevent shifts in ground, but project does not implement those measures.

VanTassel said the permit applications do not identify the contaminants in the pipeline water and the project does not have any radiation monitoring.

CNX has a history of several environmental violations, said Gillian Graber, executive director of Protect PT, which has opposed natural gas drilling operations in Penn Township. The environmental groups claim CNX Midstream Partners LP has a history of 290 violations through May 2024, with 53 open violations.

“We are dismayed that they permitted the pipeline without addressing all of the deficiencies (in the permit). We would have expected more from the DEP,” Graber said.

EHB Chief Judge Steven Beckham has given the parties in the case — the DEP, CNX Midstream and the environmental groups — until May 5 to complete their discovery of information and documents in the case.

As an alternative, the EHB said those involved could reach a settlement, according to court documents.