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Supervisors: EQT must reduce noise in Union Twp.

2 min read
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FINLEYVILLE – A Marcellus Shale natural gas driller will be asked to reduce noise at its well pad in Union Township, where a number of independent tests of the worksite were ordered to address complaints from neighbors.

There have been times when the noise has been slightly above acceptable levels at the EQT Trax Farms pad along Route 88, township board of supervisors Chairman Larry Spahr said.

“We will write EQT a letter to get the decibel levels down,” Spahr said Tuesday.

Union sought independent scientific tests on dust, air, noise and certain gases after residents on nearby Cardox Road complained about such issues and said they were seeing plumes of white smoke and smelling a rotten egg odor in the area.

Thus far, the company passed all of the other tests conducted by Professional Services Inc. of Pittsburgh at three locations over five days, Spahr said. He said the company also will test the water and silica levels in the area.

“We wanted objective information rather than everyone running around with opinions,” Spahr said. “It is what it is.”

PSI has never performed work for the Pittsburgh-based EQT. Its services cost Union taxpayers $8,000, Spahr said. He said EQT has been cooperative with the township in the past.

The test results were announced at a Union supervisors’ meeting Monday.

Mickey Gniadek, who lives on Cardox near the well pad, said he believes the testing was flawed because “it was supposed to be secretive.”

“It hasn’t been pleasant here,” Gniadek said. “I have to leave the house because of the diesel fumes. It’s ridiculous.”

EQT has yet to receive the test results, company spokeswoman Linda Robertson said Wednesday.

“Once we do, we will review and evaluate them, and continue to work with the township as we have for the past several months,” Robertson said.

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