By ERIC SLAGLE Daily News Staff Writer
eslagle@dailynewsemail.com
Neighbors of a property in Forward
Township that is being considered
for natural gas drilling are concerned over what effect such a
project might have on their water supplies and local roads.
Residents who live along Elkhorn Road brought their concerns to a
regular meeting of the township ’s
board of supervisors Thursday after receiving letters late last
month from Mountain V Oil Gas Inc., a drilling company based in
Bridgeport, W.Va., notifying them of a potential drilling project on
a property near their homes. The drilling would occur on a property
owned by Harry and Karen Williams, according to the letters. Nick
Butela, who received a letter because he lives within 1,000 feet of
the property where the drilling could occur, was among several
residents who said they are concerned that drilling in the area
would destroy local roads and possibly ruin his water supply, which
comes from a well. Should either be destroyed by such a project, “We
don’t know if we’ll have any recourse,” he said. Supervisors weren’t
able to offer much in the way of reassurances, saying it’s the
state, not local municipalities, that oversee such matters. “Most of
them are interested in being a good neighbor,” supervisor Tom
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Headley said of drilling companies. Though drillers make a
sincere effort to keep water supplies from being contaminated when
they put in a well, Headley said accidents can happen. Responding to
comments about Mountain V’s expressed interest in performing water
tests on the land belonging to the letter recipients, Headley noted,
“I would encourage everybody not to let them come out by themselves”
to do the tests. Residents who live near the drill site also have
been asked to fill out questionnaires about their water supplies.
Board of supervisors Chairman Tom DeRosa said, “I think it’s highly
unlikely that it will affect your water.” Still, he asked police
Chief Tom Staley to look out for drilling operators entering the
community to work. If he sees any, DeRosa told the chief, have them
check in at the township office.
Headley said the township doesn’t
have a lot of control over the 35 to 40 gas wells already located
within its boundaries. Regulation of wells primarily belongs to the
state Department of Environmental Protection, he said. In an effort
to exert some control over drilling and other projects, the
township gave preliminary approval
to a zoning ordinance amendment requiring permits for all earth
moving projects except those related to farming. The ordinance
amendment requires that permit seekers state their purpose for
needing to move earth and submit plans for their project to the
township .
See DRILLING , Page
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