Rostraver rejects compressed natural gas filling station

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

The land development plan for a compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station off of Tyrol Boulevard was rejected Wednesday by the Rostraver Township Commissioners.

The board voted unanimously against the proposal by Stargazer Land Conservancy LLC, a company affiliated with Noble Environmental and the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill. The CNG filling station would use methane gas from the landfill.

The commissioners held an executive session and several residents spoke out in opposition to the development plan prior to the vote.

Several members of the Fordanich family attended the meeting, with Lisa Fordanich serving as the family spokesman.

“Our concern is the CNG station that is going in across from where my brother lives. He’s disabled. He’s incapacitated and wouldn’t be able to leave if there were a problem,” Lisa Fordanich said.

Township resident Debby Fought, who has been vocal about ongoing environmental violations at the landfill, urged commissioners to hold a special hearing on the matter to allow the public a chance to provide input.

“They’re always saying they’re good neighbors. They’ve had fires; they’ve had mud; they’ve had explosions. Regarding this CNG compressor station, the township should not approve it,” Fought said.

John Lunt, who owns a business on Tyrol Boulevard, also urged the commissioners to vote against the CNG station.

“The dump has not fixed the problems they already have. Tyrol Boulevard is a mess,” Lunt said.

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