News

November 23

Gas firm, residents settle suit over line

Chief Gathering LLC agrees to drop countersuit against residents of development.

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – A Texas-based natural gas company has come to an agreement with Dallas Township residents who sued to stop installation of a pipeline near their properties. As a result, construction of the pipeline will begin early next year, the company said.

Chief Gathering LLC, through its spokeswoman Kristi Gittins, said that because an agreement has been reached, the company is withdrawing its counter lawsuit filed in September against the residents, Patrick and Patricia Dougherty, William and Patricia Watkins, Scott and Kelley Watkins, and Jeffrey and Jo Ann Dickson.

In September, the residents of Goodleigh Estates filed a lawsuit against Tuula D’Anca, who they alleged improperly gave permission to the gas company to construct the pipeline on or near their property.

Chief filed a counter claim seeking close to $20 million in damages that included the cost of construction delays, permits and lost business. Chief also alleged the families were using the lawsuit to delay and eventually halt the pipeline project.

Gittins said Tuesday that with the withdrawal of the company’s lawsuit, the landowners have mutually agreed to withdraw their suit. She said the pipeline project will proceed as planned on the properties, and construction is expected to begin in January.

No other details about the agreement were released Tuesday.

The residents’ suit said Chief should not be permitted to construct a pipeline because plaintiffs who purchased land from D’Anca were not aware of an existing contract for the pipeline right-of-way.

The residents said covenants in the development prohibit underground pipelines.

Chief Gathering, a subsidiary of Chief Oil and Gas, plans to build a pipeline that will carry natural gas that will be extracted from wells in Susquehanna County to the large Transco distribution pipeline, connecting at a point near the Dallas School District campus in Dallas Township.

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