Range completes work at well pads
North Franklin Township supervisors will update or replace its oil and gas ordinance to strengthen it now that Range Resources has finished fracturing into the Marcellus Shale formation in the municipality.
Township solicitor Gary Sweat said other municipalities have found better ways than North Franklin to protect residents from drilling noise, increased truck traffic and other related issues since the township enacted its ordinance nearly a decade ago.
“We must regulate it as much as we can as allowed by law,” Sweat said at a Tuesday township supervisors’ meeting.
“There’s an awful lot we’ve learned through trial and error.”
The township office was fielding nearly 30 complaints a day about mud from truck tires and noise until Range completed its operations off Scenic Drive about three weeks ago.
The Southpointe-based company has been the only driller working at well pads in the township.
Sweat said there are ways now to confine drilling-related trucks to specific roads and take additional precautions to buffer noise resulting from fracturing.
He said the discussion about changes to the ordinance should probably first take place before the township planning commission.
“North Franklin is not a high target area for drilling,” Sweat said.
Range spokesman Matt Pitzarella said there was a considerable gap in activity at the well pads, and that it worked to address the complaints as they aired after fracturing work began.
“It’s our understanding that the township is seeking to update their ordinance to meet all of the needs of the township, which is something we’re very understanding and supportive of,” Pitzarella said.
He said Range does not have any upcoming activity planned in the township, but it wants to have a “long-term commitment” to the community.
In other business, the township accepted a $40,771 check as a bonus for signing a lease with EQT to allow gas development under nine acres of its property.