MABS solicitor says sale appears very likely to be approved by regulators
RAVEN RUN – At Wednesday’s quarterly board meeting, Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah Solicitor Matt Rossi said, “Barring some wild unforeseen circumstance, it looks very good that the sale [of the authority to Aqua] will go through.”
In Nov. 2020, the borough approved selling the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah (MABS) to Aqua Pennsylvania, one of the largest private water companies in the nation, for $12 Million, following two public hearings. Shenandoah would receive around half the sale price, after paying off MABS debt.
Rossi provided the update on the sale’s status during his report to the authority’s board of directors.
He said the sale will go before an administrative law judge, where the public will have the opportunity to comment, prior to approval.
“It’s not a 100% [certainty,]” Rossi said, adding that the judge could overrule the Public Utilities Commission as well. He said there is little to indicate that a disapproval would happen at this point.
He added that work is still underway to determine easements and right-of-way areas, as well has resolving a title issue involving the Ringtown Number Six reservoir and the state game commission.
Rossi also provided an update on providing an easement to Barron “Boots” Hetherington to allow access through MABS land near the Ringtown Number Five reservoir in Pattersonville to one of his farm fields.
He said he had not heard from Hetherington.
“If he wants to do it, he needs to get a move on because we’re starting to look at a closing timeframe,” Rossi said. “I’m not sure if Aqua is going to be as amenable after the fact.”
Regarding PUC filings, another opposition was received by the PUC earlier this month and posted to the regulator’s website today. As with all other oppositions filed, the full text is not publicly viewable online.
The Shenandoah Sentinel has been the only local news source providing full, in-depth coverage of the proposed MABS Sale. If the coverage of this and other important news items in Shenandoah and all of northern Schuylkill County is important to you, please consider donating a few dollars a month through Patreon.
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