CONNOQUENESSING TWP — While eight property owners in the low-income, rural Woodlands neighborhood shared a $158,875 settlement from Rex Energy, dozens more continue to buy water without the help of settlement funds.
Rex Energy in April settled with the eight property owners who sued after losing their water supply eight years ago when several wells were fracked nearby,
In a statement, a Rex Energy spokesperson said “While we cannot comment on the settlement, Rex Energy continues to deny any wrongdoing related to this matter.”
The Woodlands residents who were not included in the lawsuit wonder why they were left out.
One of those residents is Sheri Makepeace, who lives on Blue Jay Lane with her three young children.
She said someone stopped at her home a few years ago to ask if she wanted to participate in a group lawsuit.
She agreed and signed a document, then never heard anything else from the individual.
Since her well gave out more than eight years ago, Makepeace buys water from the Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Department for $200 per month. She also buys jugs of water and bottled water for cooking and drinking.
She is also incredulous that neither the township nor the county offered the Woodlands any funds from the significant shale gas impact fee funds they received from the state.
Read more about Makepeace and other residents stories in the Butler Eagle.