A panel has been instituted in West Penn Township in an attempt to update its water extraction ordinance.

On a 2-0 vote Tuesday, the township's board of supervisors agreed to form a water resources and planning steering committee. Board Chairman Jim Dean was absent.The formation of a steering committee was suggested by Supervisor Tony Prudenti, who noted that water extraction has been a major issue, and he wants to update the township's ordinance.It will consist of two township supervisors, two members of the township's planning commission, and between six to seven volunteers.Supervisor Ted Bogosh said he thought it wise for the township to consult with agencies like the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the Department of Agriculture.However, Prudenti said he respectfully disagreed, and added it's up to the board to protect the residents of the township."They've left us holding the bag," Prudenti said. "It's up to us."Board solicitor Holly Heintzelman recommended that the committee have two supervisors, rather than one, as Prudenti initially suggested.Afterward, resident David Lapinsky commended Prudenti for "taking the bull by the horns" and added he believes it's a step forward.Lapinsky said he would volunteer to be on the committee, as the goal is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the township residents.Prudenti said volunteers who would like to serve on the committee should put their name in to the township secretary.In June, Lapinsky asked supervisors that a moratorium be put on water extraction in the community because he believes what's taking place is not water harvesting, but rather, water extraction.Prudenti said that was his recommendation on his very first day in office, but that the board's former solicitor had left Heintzelman a letter indicating that a moratorium would not be legal.Heintzelman agreed that no moratorium should be placed on water extraction in the township.Prudenti reiterated his stance that his concern remains getting trucks off the township's roads.Jay Land, president and owner of Ringgold Acquisition Group II LLC, previously noted that a settlement was recently reached between M.C. Resource Development Company and DEP on property known as Pine Valley, which has been a raw spring water source for bottled water plants.Land then thanked the board, as well as its predecessor board, for not only dealing with water extraction, but also for treating him with respect under the circumstances.In May, Prudenti said his solution to get truck traffic off the township's roads was to negotiate a water extraction and road agreement with Land, and suggested that at Land's expense, he run a pipeline out onto a state road.Prudenti said the township is trying to update the township's water extraction ordinance to try to make it a little bit tougher than it is right now.As a starting point, Prudenti proposed they negotiate that the zone of influence be extended to a 1½-mile radius. The current DEP zone of influence is a quarter-mile, he said.Prudenti also suggested constructing a pipeline to state roads for the loading of water into trucks, with the township helping procure rights of way if it is not able to use its own.Additionally, Prudenti suggested a $10,000 yearly road maintenance and repair fee for each well site for roads affected by truck traffic.Prudenti has said on multiple occasions that the township has to look at protecting residents' wells, eliminating truck traffic and saving roads.