DUBOIS – Members of the DuBois City Council plan to attend the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s public hearing on Windfall Oil & Gas’ proposal to construct a disposal injection well on Highland Street Extension in Brady Township.
“We’re going to testify before the Pennsylvania DEP to try to stop the deep injection well in Brady Township,” said Councilwoman Diane Bernardo. Bernardo listed some of the council’s concerns:
- The well’s proximity to the watershed, the city’s reservoir and the city’s recently constructed back-up water supply in the form of six wells.
- Unstable underground coal mine structures, such as DuBois Shafts 1 and 2, which were capped off but otherwise left.
- Existing, unaccounted shallow wells in the area that may or may not have been properly been sealed.
- Increasing evidence that injection wells are causing earthquakes in states to the west.
“On Tuesday, Feb 16, at the Penn State Hiller Auditorium we are No. 6 on the speaking agenda,” said Bernardo.
In other business, council will begin the process for changing fees for re-connecting houses to city water. It was noted that the cost for re-connecting for individuals who choose to have their water turned off will remain the same.
However, council said that the change will be an extra $50 for turning the water back on if it was turned off due to delinquent payments. It will now cost $100, according to council.
Council also plans to request proposals for a city-wide survey. The Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s latest economic survey shows DuBois City has gone from being more than 51 percent low- to moderate-income to being under half low- to moderate-income. However, council noted that the difference is low enough that an appeal is possible.
According to council, this limits where and how Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds can be used within the city. This includes some projects that are already in progress, assuming availability of more CDBG funds.
DuBois City Redevelopment Director Joe Mitchell stated that the change in how the survey was done is the reason for the shift. “We really feel that our demographics didn’t change all that much,” said Mitchell.