Uploaded September 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board unanimously shot down a proposed natural gas compressor station in West Wyoming tonight.
Cheers and clapping filled the county council meeting room on the first floor of the courthouse after the three members of the board, Chairman Larry Newman, Anthony Palischak and William Harris, declined to approve UGI Energy Services Inc.'s application for a special exception to construct a utility building and yard.
Solicitor Stephen Menn said the board members could not comment on the reason for the denial because UGI may appeal the decision. UGI now has 30 days to appeal to county court.
UGI sought zoning approval to build the compressor station at a site off North Ridge Lane beyond Fire Cut Road, just across the Kingston Township border. The station would have pressurized natural gas coming from wells in the northeast counties of Pennsylvania. UGI intended for the gas to be distributed through the Transco interstate pipeline and connect to an existing system to customers in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area.
UGI representatives said the compressor station would comply with or exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for emissions. UGI said the project would bring lower-cost natural gas from within the state to local customers.
But opponents said any emissions are too many. At a county zoning board public hearing Aug. 8, opponents voiced concerns including health effects, quality-of-life issues like traffic and dust, and the potential to affect property values. Ray Gustave of West Wyoming took issue with UGI defining the site as "remote," saying it is 1½ miles from the populated area and 2 miles from the center of town. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf
The Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board unanimously shot down a proposed natural gas compressor station in West Wyoming tonight.
Cheers and clapping filled the county council meeting room on the first floor of the courthouse after the three members of the board, Chairman Larry Newman, Anthony Palischak and William Harris, declined to approve UGI Energy Services Inc.'s application for a special exception to construct a utility building and yard.
Solicitor Stephen Menn said the board members could not comment on the reason for the denial because UGI may appeal the decision. UGI now has 30 days to appeal to county court.
UGI sought zoning approval to build the compressor station at a site off North Ridge Lane beyond Fire Cut Road, just across the Kingston Township border. The station would have pressurized natural gas coming from wells in the northeast counties of Pennsylvania. UGI intended for the gas to be distributed through the Transco interstate pipeline and connect to an existing system to customers in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area.
UGI representatives said the compressor station would comply with or exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for emissions. UGI said the project would bring lower-cost natural gas from within the state to local customers.
But opponents said any emissions are too many. At a county zoning board public hearing Aug. 8, opponents voiced concerns including health effects, quality-of-life issues like traffic and dust, and the potential to affect property values. Ray Gustave of West Wyoming took issue with UGI defining the site as "remote," saying it is 1½ miles from the populated area and 2 miles from the center of town. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf
