Parents upset with drilling sites in Fox Chapel School District

Parents in the Fox Chapel School District say they are not happy that drillers will be working close to their children's schools.

Residents confronted Indiana Township supervisors on Tuesday night, hoping to delay the fracking work.

“Keep them far, far, far away from our children,” said parent Vanessa Lynch.

Outraged with proposed fracking of eight gas wells in Fox Chapel, parents sounded off.

“My main concerns are my children,” Lynch said. “My children go to Dorseyville Middle School and Hartwood Elementary School. They spend time outside at recess every day. They are within two miles of a fracking site that the community didn't know about.”

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They're concerned about health risks and safety precautions from natural gas development in the Fox Chapel School District, including on property that's about 2 miles from Dorseyville and Hartwood.

“The fracking is not a problem of free enterprise and it has little benefits to the whole community,” said a man.

The group of citizens held a press conference before the meeting, saying they believe their constitutional rights have been violated in an effort to expedite natural gas development.

"It's hard for me to understand how Indiana Township, in good conscience, could come up with a decision based on science that it's safe to have fracking around these schools and neighborhoods," said another man.

“Most of Allegheny County is residential area and they can have the same fate as us,” Lynch said.

The permit for the gas wells can't be taken away but the group is pushing for changes to municipal codes so these permits can't be granted so quickly.

Cox Media Group