Planning Commission: XNG not in compliance

The Susquehanna County Planning Commission held a special meeting last week to address new information it received about the XNG Natural Gas facility in Forest Lake Twp.
In February, the Planning Commission gave its conditional final approval to XNG, contingent on the receipt of a sound study that complies with the county’s compressor station noise requirements, part of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
As of the commission’s April 25 meeting, the sound study had not been completed and the County Planning Commission notified the commissioners of the status, said Planning Director Robert Templeton at the Tuesday, June 13 meeting.
In mid-May, Templeton said an XNG representative said the SALDO noise requirements could be met with the installation of sound walls around the compressor engines. Those were expected to be installed on or about July 11, Templeton reported, then a sound study conducted.
At the May 30 meeting, the Planning Commission provided XNG with an extension to meet plan requirements until July 21. But on June 1, the county received notification that the facility also requires an air quality permit from the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection.
At the special meeting, with a full audience of XNG employees and members of the general public, planning commission members discussed their options.
Board member Chris Caterson said he believed the commission was being asked by the county to find that XNG was not in compliance with the SALDO requirements.
Board member John Butler said that the Planning Commission has no enforcement ability and no budget. He suggested a list of concerns – which echoed the concerns of the public at the meeting – be sent to the county commissioners to determine if action is needed. “I don’t think (XNG) acted in good faith at all,” he said.
Planning Commission members discussed whether they rescind the conditional final approval or ask the commissioners to take action.
“Even if we refer it to the county commissioners, there will not be something finalized by July 21 (the extension deadline set in May by the Planning Commission),” Butler said.
Caterson said the only thing that had changed since the board last discussed the issue was the DEP portion. “We’re not going to get between you and DEP. That’s not our role,” Caterson said.
According to an XNG rep at the meeting, the company and DEP are involved in discussions about the need for the air quality permit. XNG maintains that the pollution control devices installed on the compressors negate the requirement.
“Tonight, according to our ordinance, you’re not in compliance,” Caterson said to the XNG rep at the meeting.
Butlers suggestion to send a letter listing concerns to the commissioners was put forward in a motion and passed in a unanimous vote.
“We will leave it up to them for action, because we can’t enforce anything,” Butler said.
Members of the public at the meeting noted past roadway dust concerns, as well as the lack of permits from DEP.
Forest Lake Supervisor Frank Pinkowski questioned the use of temporary construction trailers.
A member of the Susquehanna Clean Air Network said he believed a problem was that the Planning Commission has no ability to enforce the SALDO. He asked that the county set up an agency to handle enforcement.