Officials questioned about gas drilling
WAYNESBURG – A Bonar Avenue resident attended the Franklin Township supervisors meeting Monday with questions about the possible impacts of a natural gas drilling operation that is expected begin near his home.
The township zoning hearing board earlier granted Vantage Energy a special exception to drill off Wayne Road.
The area is zoned agricultural and a special exception is needed for extractive industries in that zone.
Though no drilling has begun at the site, Brian Dukate said he wanted to make sure the company and its operations “start off on the best foot.”
Dukate said he is concerned about possible noise from the drilling rig and asked whether the company could perhaps use electric drilling rigs rather than diesel rigs at the site.
The area is now very quiet, he said.
This was one of the reasons he moved there 11 years ago, he added.
Dukate also said he was concerned about possible emissions from the site and about the impact of fracking.
He said he talked to several company representatives but was not satisfied with their responses.
Vantage Energy already erected a wall at the site to mitigate noise, but has not started drilling apparently because of coal mining in the area.
Supervisor Reed Kiger said the company would also have to abide by the township’s noise ordinance, which township code enforcement officer Steve Coss said sets the noise limit at 55 decibels.
Coss said he also talked to a Vantage Energy representative and the company intends to conduct noise level testing prior to drilling to determine existing base levels.
In regard to emissions and fracking impacts, Kiger said, the state Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for monitoring and regulating those aspects of the operation.
Several people had attended the zoning board hearing regarding the special exception, at which Vantage representatives addressed their concerns, Supervisor Corbly Orndorff said. Dukate had not received notice of the hearing because his property is more than 200 feet from the site.
In other business, the supervisors announced the township would be organizing a fall cleanup day. Orndoff said he believed the event would probably be held sometime in October .