Planning commission OKs compressor station buildings
WAYNESBURG – Greene County Planning Commission granted preliminary approval Monday to plans by EQM Gathering to construct two buildings at its proposed Europa Compressor Station in Center Township.
The company, an affiliate of EQT, will construct the station on 125 acres of land off West Run Road. The project will require the disturbance of 2.8 acres of land at the site.
The company will build two buildings on the property: a 5,709-square-foot compressor building and a 900-square-foot metering building.
The project also will involve creation of a 285-by-435-foot gravel pad and stormwater management facilities.
Vanessa Baxter of EQM said the station will have one compressor. At this time, she said, the company has no plans to expand it.
The commission granted modifications allowing the company to complete the project without paving the parking area or providing off-street parking and a loading area.
Baxter said traffic to the site would be minimal and only a few trucks would visit the site every few days.
Commission member John Kendralla noted the gravel pad would eventually become compacted and impervious to water, which could lead to problems with runoff.
Baxter said, however, the company’s stormwater management plan takes that into account and considers the gravel area impervious. New state stormwater management guidelines for oil and gas sites require gravel areas to be treated as impervious to water.
To receive final approval, the company must submit an approved stormwater management plan and receive state approval of its erosion and sedimentation control plan.
In other business, the commission talked briefly of a project approved in 2011 that apparently was not constructed following plans submitted to the commission.
Coontz Enterprises constructed a 6,000-square-foot warehouse on Route 88 in Monongahela Township. Drains for the roof and floor, however, were incorrectly diverted to a state Department of Transportation culvert.
Robbie Matesic, director of the county Department of Economic Development, said efforts were made to get the company to correct the problem, though if proved unsuccessful, enforcement action could be initiated.
The commission was asked to investigate work being done off Garards Fort Road in Greene Township, where it was reported a company began erecting a sound wall.
The commission re-organized, re-electing Brent Burnett chairman. Kendralla was elected vice chairman and Eric Marshall secretary. Other commission members include Suzanne Swinchock, Alfred Burns, Francis Minor, Charles Riggs, Larry Stratton and Jim Goroncy.