Dozens attend hearing on drilling in Hampton
At a public hearing on Marcellus Shale drilling last week in Hampton, some speakers questioned the safety of drilling in an area that’s honeycombed with old coal mines, while others voiced fears of polluted water and the wear and tear on infrastructure.
But one resident had a different view.
Paul Dudenas, who told council that he works in the petroleum and natural gas drilling industry, gave this description of drilling in the shale to release natural gas:
“Well drilling is short-term chaos and then the chaos goes away, and you’re burning safe, reliable, American, clean-burning natural gas.”
According to Mr. Dudenas, fears of water contamination are unfounded because Marcellus Shale lies about 7,000 feet below ground. “There are 380 million years of rock in between. The physics of it just don’t allow for water contamination,” he said.
No cases of groundwater contamination have been reported due to hydraulic fracturing of the shale, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection, but the DEP has issued violations of the state Clean Stream Law in connection with the drilling of Marcellus wells, including accidental discharges of drilling wastewater onto the ground or into streams. In addition, new concerns were raised recently that wastewater from the drilling may contain high levels of radiation.
Dozens attended the Feb. 23 hearing in Hampton Community Center, which was the township’s second public hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance to address oil and gas drilling regulations. It was held at the community center instead of the municipal offices to accommodate the crowd.
Action on the ordinance will be taken in April, at the earliest.
Hampton council President Victor Son said the township’s planning commission and land use staff have been working for more than a year on crafting and revising the local ordinance.
“Our focus is on allowing a conditional use [for drilling operations],” he said. “Otherwise, we would be in violation of the municipal planning code, and then [drilling] could be allowed anywhere in the township.”
Using South Fayette’s drilling ordinance as a template, Hampton officials designated three zoning areas — light industrial, heavy industry and research and development — as the only places in Hampton where drilling activities would be allowed as a conditional use.
Mr. Son told residents that the ordinance is a pre-emptive measure the township is taking to protect residential land.
“We don’t want to be reactionary to someone wanting to drill,” he explained. “We want to define areas and then force the drillers to come to us for conditional use [hearings]. To not have a plan would have been the worst thing.”
Some changes in the most recent draft of the township’s Ordinance 627 that were discussed during the hearing included adding 10 acres to total 20 acres as the required amount of land needed to support a drilling pad; mandating that any gas processing plant or compressor station be restricted to heavy industrial zones; and prohibiting drilling in a flood zone.
The ordinance also includes amendments to zoning regulations regarding farm animals, alcohol sales, handicapped parking requirements, outdoor lighting regulations, fencing and setback requirements, natural gas treatment systems and other items designed to preserve quality of life.
Mr. Son added that salt reclaimed from the hydraulic fracturing process, which forces a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into man-made fractures in the earth to break up the shale, can be used as road salt for municipalities.
He said that drilling technology is rapidly advancing and council will continue to make changes in response to whatever is happening in the industry. For example, he said, hydrogen may replace water in the fracking process. “Our concern is always for the residents and maintaining our quality of life,” he said.
The township’s environmental advisory council and zoning hearing board have been instrumental in rewriting Ordinance 627. The township is still seeking residents to serve on both of the boards.
Contact the township offices at 412- 486-0400.
Council also approved the appointment of Amar Mishra to fill a vacancy on the Hampton Community Association Board. Another vacancy exists on that board.
By Jill Cueni-Cohen
March 03, 2011
Jill Cueni-Cohen, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11062/1129203-54.stm