A West Penn Township water extraction company has withdrawn its appeal and settled with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

M.C. Resource Development Company, also known as M.C. Resource Development Inc., has withdrawn its appeal filed before the commonwealth of Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board."It was a mutually beneficial settlement that serves to protect the jobs of 40 people," said Jay Land, president and owner of Ringgold Acquisition Group II LLC. "We all reached a great settlement."Land noted that Pine Valley has been a raw spring water source for bottled water plants."That's how it's operated since its origin," he said. "It was originally permitted by the department for that purpose."However, Land noted, "The department has now made a determination that do not have jurisdiction to regulate raw water sources as stand-alones. That was the issue before the Environmental Hearing Board.""I disagree with the department wholeheartedly, and we agreed to settle the issue for the benefit of my customers whose jobs were in jeopardy," he said. "It's a good positive settlement for everybody."Land said the Pine Valley permit no longer exists, but it is approved as part of that customers' facility, though he wouldn't disclose who that was."Fort Franklin will continue to operate in its ordinary course as it has and is currently; Pine Valley will continue to operate in its ordinary course as it has and is currently," he said. "From a business standpoint, it doesn't have a big impact."