Judge Denies MarkWest Appeal Over Compressor Station

A Washington County Common Pleas judge this week denied an appeal MarkWest filed over the denial of a special exception to build a natural gas compressor station in Cecil Township.

"After careful review of the record...the court is satisfied that the zoning hearing board vigilantly considered all of the relevant evidence and used sound discretion in reaching the conclusion that MarkWest had failed to meet its burden to demonstrate that the proposed compressor facility was of the same general character of other permitted uses within the I1 light industrial zone," Judge John DiSalle wrote in his opinion, which was filed Monday.

He continued: "Moreover, the proposed facility does not pass muster to be labled as the same general character of an essential service."

MarkWest had sought the special exception to build a 35-foot natural gas compressor station on Coleman Road near state Route 980. The proposed facility was to be located on 71.5-acres of land and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, court records indicate.

After three days of hearings, the application was denied.

The company then filed an appeal in Washington County Court of Common Pleas. Range Resources later filed a motion to intervene in the case, as did Cecil Township.