Drilling debate continues
To be continued: That’s the status of a public input period for a proposed zoning amendment that will govern which areas of South Strabane Township can host natural gas wells.
The board of supervisors on Tuesday heard nearly two hours of opinions from residents, many of whom railed against the proposal to allow drilling in a residential (R-2) zone. Drilling is currently permitted as a conditional use in all districts, but only two well permits have been granted, both of which exist in an agricultural zone.
While the process of revamping the drilling ordinance began four years ago, some officials said they should toil longer to work out the kinks.
“First thing I’m going to say is, when you’re tempering a piece of steel, you pound it until it’s hard. And this piece of steel we have wouldn’t cut butter,” Supervisor Ed Mazur said of the proposed amendment. “Secondly, I think we need to go back and get it right.”
Mazur’s remarks came after representatives from Range Resources and Rice Energy criticized some of the 50 conditions attached to drilling. Debra Aker, a local government affairs analyst for Range Resources, said the township cannot legally force companies to use green wall completion equipment (condition T) or mandate which contractors the companies do business with (condition OO).
One condition that the “disturbed area associated with the size of the well pad on a site may not exceed three acres” (condition B) is “insufficient to accommodate a deep well site, and therefore would limit effectively and prohibit oil and gas deep wells as a use in the township,” Aker said.
Supervisors voted to continue the hearing to a date yet to be determined, allowing them time to take public comments into consideration. If substantial changes were made to the ordinance, the hearing would need to be readvertised.
The question of whether to allow drilling in the R-2 district has been a contentious one, even among members of the planning commission, which voted 4-3 to allow drilling in that zone. If supervisors approve the amendment, drilling would be allowed as a conditional use in every district except the R-1, R-3 and R-4 districts. The R-2 district encompasses four areas scattered across the township.
Joe Kopko, a planning commission member who attended Tuesday’s hearing, said drilling should not be permitted in residential and commercial districts.
“My feeling is once the well is there and it’s established, that portion of land and its many acres, and each of these well pads, is of no commercial or residential taxing value to this township for a long time,” he said.
John DeBord, a township resident, called into question the proposed setback requirement.
“A minimum setback of 1,000 feet from gas wells to occupied structures is inadequate for protection of public health and safety, considering the Chevron Lanco (well site) fire in Bobtown, Pennsylvania,” he said, referring to the explosion in February 2014 that killed one worker and injured another.
When asked who supported the proposed ordinance, Eric Zipko was one of a few who raised his hand. He said some landowners in the R-2 district own 400 acres of land, which would be ample space for a well pad.
“When you look at other townships, they’re kind of getting smacked on the back for not considering everyone,” he said.
In addition to discussion about the proposed amendment, some residents and planning commission members questioned whether the township had the ability to enforce current conditions in place for two well pads operated by Range Resources and Rice Energy.
Ashley Moninger, who lives on Kopper Kettle Road, has complained several times about Range’s Baumel well pad. She said there has been no resolution for months.
“Friday night, July 10, the smoke was billowing from the site,” she said. “A fine dust covered our vehicles the morning of July 11, and Saturday night, a large flame was visible shooting from the well pad site itself.”
Range representatives agreed to meet with township officials and Moninger later to discuss those issues.
Additionally, two planning commission members said Rice Energy violated a condition that stipulated the company should improve Rankin Road before starting work at its Waterboy well site.
Kopko said the road still has not been improved, even though it has been several months since Rice’s application was approved. A Rice representative said three weeks ago that contractors were paving and widening the road.
Fred Pozzuto, chairman of the planning commission, said before Tuesday’s meeting that it was “very clear” in the conditions that Rice was required to make repairs to the road before beginning to drill the well. Pozzuto said the company has started drilling the well, but the status of road repairs is unclear.
A township official has been visiting both work sites every day to check for compliance. Township manager John Stickle said he is not aware of any violations.