ECONOMY — A controversial plan to remove millions of gallons of water from Big Sewickley Creek for natural gas development is set to move forward two years after it was first proposed.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in late January approved PennEnergy Resources’ request to withdraw up to 1.5 million gallons per day from Big Sewickley Creek on private property south of Economy’s Cooney Hollow Road.
The company’s amended water management plan is active for five years.
A second permit authorizes PennEnergy to install a temporary surface water intake system at the site for use in nearby natural gas production. Withdrawals are expected to be “intermittent in nature … for a period of one to three months, followed by several months or years of inactivity,” according to the company.
PennEnergy, an oil and gas developer based in Cranberry Township, submitted its first request to take water from Big Sewickley in 2021 – initially proposing an intake of up to 3 million gallons daily at two separate Economy locations. The company said it hoped to reduce area truck traffic by transporting water from the creek to a nearby well pad by way of a temporary above-ground waterline.