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North Strabane officials to vote on third Marcellus Shale well

2 min read

North Strabane Township officials are expected to vote next week on whether to approve a third Marcellus Shale well in the township.

The township held a conditional use hearing Tuesday night on an application from Range Resources to drill on 126 acres of land owned by Edward and Holly Martin at 520 Linden Creek Road.

Range Resources local government liaison Debra Aker told the township supervisors that five wells are initially planned for the site and drilling activities could begin in June if the well is approved next week. A total of 10 wells could eventually be drilled on the property, Aker said.

The hearing came two weeks after a fire erupted at the Range Resources well pad near Ross Road in the township on Feb. 4. That well was not producing at the time and only surface equipment caught fire, emergency responders said previously.

John Applegath, Range’s senior vice president for the company’s Southern Marcellus Shale Division, spoke before the hearing to alleviate concerns about the situation and the quick response to the fire by workers at the site and the township’s firefighters.

The situation still concerned Michelle Zirngibl, who lives on Linden Creek Road near where the new well is planned.

“It’s just concerning that this big black smoke … could be in our backyard with no (fire hydrants) nearby,” Zirngibl said.

She also raised questions about noise and lights coming from the site, although Aker said the company plans to only construct a sound barrier on one side of the site because the expected decibel levels during drilling are not expected to greatly exceed the township’s ordinance limit. Aker said Range has requested and was granted waivers from residents who would be most affected by the noise.

Township supervisors are expected to vote on whether to approve the drilling operation at their Feb. 24 meeting.

Officials are also expected to set the date for a conditional use hearing for another well planned on nearly 18 acres of land owned by Karen Randolph at 1344 Route 519.

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