Anti-shale groups express concern over cemetery leases
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Groups opposed to Marcellus Shale drilling have been spreading the word about a particular set of leases: those signed with cemeteries.
"The people who live around all of these places which have leases should be concerned," said Peters resident Jet Miskis, a member of the Peters Township Marcellus Shale Awareness group. Peters council members recently enacted new regulations governing the gas drilling industry. "Because of the Oil & Gas Act, they are permitted by law to drill up to 200 feet from your home."
Annabelle McGannon, executive director of the Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, said there are no immediate plans to conduct gas drilling operations at any of the 11 cemeteries in Washington and Allegheny counties under lease with Monroeville-based Huntley & Huntley.
"Even if the drilling companies do eventually express interest, the association is in complete control over the location of any such activity, which would never be permitted within the developed sections of any cemetery," she said in a statement.
In September 2008, the Catholic Cemeteries Association signed the gas lease with Huntley & Huntley for 1,254 acres of land, including the 195-acre Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Peters, and the even larger 200-acre Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
The other cemeteries in the five-year lease are in Allegheny County and include St. Mary in Lawrenceville; All Saints in Braddock Hills; Christ Our Redeemer in Ross; Resurrection in Moon; Mount Carmel in Penn Hills; Good Shepherd in Monroeville; St. Stanislaus/St. Anthony in Shaler; Holy Souls in Robinson; and Holy Savior in Pine and Richland.
During the same time in 2008, another large cemetery in Peters, Forest Lawn Gardens, also signed a lease with Huntley & Huntley for its 70-acre site.
A spokesman for Huntley & Huntley declined comment for this article.
In the months leading up to Peters council's Aug. 8 vote to approve drilling regulations, Ms. Miskis and other members of the Peters Township Marcellus Shale Awareness Group said they worked hard to spread the word about local property and business owners who have signed gas leases in recent years.
First Published August 21, 2011 12:00 am
