Correcting the Record and Moving Westmoreland County Forward
Community-focused approach to freshwater management preserves MAWC’s environmental & economic outlook
December 22, 2023
By Navneet Behl, CNX Resources Chief Operating Officer
Westmoreland County is home to some of Pennsylvania’s most historic landmarks and scenic attractions. The community has benefitted greatly from a bustling energy economy thanks to the natural gas resources located underground and, as one of the most active developers, CNX aims to preserve all that keeps the county beautiful while being a boon to the local economy.
That promise includes the efficient management of water resources used for our operations. In addition to actively recycling and reusing produced water to minimize freshwater needs, we regularly optimize operations to eliminate potential impacts to nearby water resources and ecosystems.
Recent media coverage inaccurately hinted at concerns with CNX’s use of water from the Beaver Run Reservoir, and while these operations have temporarily halted while water flows are replenished, it’s important to note the routine nature of this pause. As local officials stressed, a lack of rainfall – not natural gas development – is the cause of diminished reservoir levels. In fact, CNX has not drawn water from the reservoir since July of 2023.
Consider, despite being one of the area’s largest producers, in all of 2023 CNX used less than one-third of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC)’s typical one-day water usage.
Since CNX began operating here nearly 15 years ago, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to improving lives and opportunities for area residents. Our approach to environmental stewardship mirrors that of our community investment across Appalachia: one of transparency and a dedication to protecting the places where we live for future generations.
Locally, that’s in the form of over $10.6 million paid in royalties to county residents over the last four years, investing millions in public road and infrastructure upgrades – including within the MAWC’s property – and supporting both emergency response and other important community programs through the CNX Foundation. Just last year, CNX paid $1.2 million in royalties to area residents. More, Westmoreland County and its municipalities received nearly $1.4 million this year from impact fee revenues, which are funds from the state’s tax on natural gas that uniquely support local government initiatives such as economic development, infrastructure projects, and conservation programs.
We’re proud to be a community partner of choice in Westmoreland County, providing energy and environmental solutions that benefit all. This region is our home, and we are equally as invested in seeing it thrive as we work across Appalachia.
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