County residents challenge zoning permit for proposed Lehman Township drill site.

STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com

Editor’s note: A print version and a previous on-line version of this story erroneously identified the well site in question as being in Lake Township.

WILKES-BARRE – Some Luzerne County residents have taken legal action challenging the issuance of a zoning permit for a proposed natural gas well drilling site in Lehman Township.

Dr. Thomas Jiunta, a podiatrist from Lehman Township, confirmed late Monday that an attorney working on behalf of himself and other county residents whom he declined to name filed a notice of appeal of a conditional use permit issued in April by the township supervisors.

WhitMar Exploration Co. and EnCana Oil & Gas USA Inc. had sought a conditional-use permit to drill a natural gas well on part of a an approximately 120-acre site located at 100 Peaceful Valley Road and owned by Russell W. Lansberry and Larry Lansberry.

At an April 13 public hearing, which EnCana officials did not attend, the supervisors voted to approve the application if certain conditions were met: that EnCana put up $13,540 to maintain Firehouse Road through the total time it is used; EnCana put up $32,192 to maintain Peaceful Valley Road similarly; all traffic related to the drilling traverse on Firehouse Road toward state Route 118; no traffic will go on Old Route 115 in the township (near the school); EnCana provide adequate insurance coverage for the township, and that a legally binding agreement be signed by EnCana holding it to its commitment.

“There is no credible argument that this industrial use of gas drilling, with the massive disruption that it causes, is consistent with agricultural use, which is what the area is zoned, or with the character of the community,” said attorney Jack Dean, who is representing Jiunta and the others.

Wendy Wiedenbeck, public and community relations advisor for EnCana, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The Lansberry site would likely be the third well site in the county if EnCana’s plans are not held up by the appeal. The company plans to begin drilling in July at a Fairmount Township site located off state Route 118 between Tripp and Mossville roads and owned by Edward Buda.

EnCana in May had received approval from the Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board for a drilling site on property at 133 Soltis Road in Lake Township and owned by township Supervisor Amy Salansky and her husband, Paul.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.