A petition opposed to water extraction in West Penn Township continues to gain steam.

Resident Gary Steigerwalt informed the township's board of supervisors on Tuesday that there is a petition letter signed by 750 taxpayers.Steigerwalt said he would like to see a meeting set up with state Rep. Jerry Knowles, state Sen. David Argall, and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright."Put it in the hands of the taxpayers," Steigerwalt said. "This law can be changed."Resident David Billman said he's fed up with the operation."It keeps going," Billman said. "They just keep pushing the limits if nothing is done."Billman urged the board to "use the tools that you already have in place."He suggested that the board use the township's existing ordinance, place restrictions on trucks traveling on certain roads, and possibly conduct a safety study that would take into account the volume of trucks.After it was noted that a safety study would cost money, Billman said the township received a $6,000 donation from Jay Land that it could apply toward the cost."I've been living with water extraction for the past 15 years," he said. "If there's no resistance at all, they're just going to keep pushing the envelope."However, resident Art Sterling said he was concerned with the notion of restricting truck traffic, because it affects his livelihood."You get more locals flying than you do trucks," Sterling said.In June, supervisors on a 2-1 vote accepted a $6,000 donation from MC Resource Development, the existing water extraction operation in neighboring East Brunswick Township.The matter came to light after township solicitor Holly Heintzelman said she received a letter dated May 31 signed by Land, who owns a company that is a partner in MC Resource Development, the company embroiled in a lawsuit over water extraction. Land is president and owner of Ringgold Acquisition Group II LLC at the proposed West Penn site on 1 Fort Franklin Road.In the letter, Land said the check and donation was from MC Resource Development, and not himself, and that it is the result of a promise made to the township roadmaster in 2015. He said that MC Resource Development made a similar donation at that time.Land said the donation is made to the general road fund, and should be used at the discretion of the roadmaster as directed by the board of supervisors. However, there is no requirement that it be used on Kepners Road.On Jan. 13, a group of residents filed a lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County against businesses and people associated with water extraction operations in the township. The lawsuit was filed by 30 plaintiffs who live near a pair of water extraction sites, according to their attorney, John Kotsatos, of the Law Offices of John E. Kotsatos in Easton.At the center of the lawsuit is the water extraction site at the intersection of Kepners Road and Blue Mountain Drive, and a newer water extraction site being erected at 1 Fort Franklin Road.