Apr 27, 2016 3 min read

Citing ongoing discussions with energy company representatives, South Strabane Township Board of Supervisors delayed voting on a pending oil and gas zoning ordinance Wednesday.

The public hearing was continued a second time, with the next meeting date to be determined.

“Hopefully in the next 10 days, we can arrive at some consensus. If not, we’ll move forward with our proposals,” said township Solicitor Jack Cambest.

Officials are considering an amendment to their zoning ordinance that would change requirements for oil and natural gas drilling in the municipality. Though they did not speak Wednesday, representatives of Columbia Midstream Services, Range Resources and Rice Energy submitted letters to the township before the April 19 public hearing, expressing dissatisfaction with the pending ordinance. Among other issues, representatives said restricting drilling to industrial zoned areas only and enforcing excessive set-back requirements were overly restrictive.

Residents continued to voice either opposition or support of the ordinance during the meeting Wednesday in the South Strabane fire hall on Oak Springs Road. Those who support the restrictions, including planning commission member Joe Kopko, cited environmental concerns. Those opposed said the township is being too restrictive, which will lead to lawsuits by the energy companies.

“Drillers will take this township to court and beat us like a drum,” said Supervisor Edward Mazur.

Mazur said the township is not zoned correctly and proposed a zoning ordinance amendment that would allow officials to look at and possibly redraw the districts.

The motion died for lack of a second.

Questions were also raised about supervisors voting while they have mineral leases with gas companies. All of the supervisors had leases, with some for land within the township and some outside it.

Cambest said elected officials would have a conflict of interest if voting could result in personal gain.

“I have no evidence of that occurring,” he said.

Supervisors have been working with Cambest, attorney John Smith and consultant Carolyn Yagle on the ordinance, changing several recommendations from their planning commission.

In February, supervisors Jack Keisling, Bob Weber and Thomas Moore recommended deep-well drilling as a conditional use only in I-1 and I-2 industrial areas, and shallow drilling in industrial and A-1 agricultural areas. They also recommended minimum setback requirements of 1,800 feet from residences, retail stores and restaurants, and 2,500 feet from schools and parks for well pad sites.

Cambest said the board will continue discussion with the energy companies. He said rezoning certain areas of the township for mineral extraction is a consideration.

“The concern with that is possibly limiting it to those areas in the future,” Cambest said.