Nov 23, 2015 2 min read

The North Strabane Township board of supervisors is scheduled to take action tonight on a revision to a previously approved conditional use by Range Resources.

The natural gas exploration and production company submitted revisions, seeking permission for freshwater corrals on two township well pads.

“They are planning on putting more water corrals on both the Martin and Jeffries sites to be used as a part of the fracking process, instead of completely transporting water by truck,” said township manager Frank Siffrinn. The water corrals are expected to ease the truck traffic resulting from gas well operations.

“The corrals will supply the predominance of water,” Siffrinn said. “(There will) still be truck traffic, but I think the consideration by township supervisors is the reduction of traffic. It is a fairly significant reduction.”

A hearing to discuss the revisions was held Nov. 17. Siffrinn said there was no public comment.

Two corrals on the township’s Bier site contain 1.86 million gallons of water. The existing corrals are 157 feet in diameter and 12 feet tall.

Township supervisors approved a 180-by-240-foot truck-staging area on the Bier site in July, used to control traffic, including tankers that haul fresh and recycled water used in hydraulic fracturing.

“They are still using the Bier pad as a staging area,” Siffrinn said. “I don’t think (the corrals are) going to be a total solution, as far as water needs.”

Range Resources officials did not return calls seeking comment.

In other business, supervisors will present the township’s 2016 budget during tonight’s legislative meeting in the municipal building. Siffrinn said there are no big changes from this year’s budget and no tax increases are expected.