Nov 9, 2018 4 min read

Rostraver Township commissioners amended an ordinance setting the baseline for background noise levels, but not before several residents and gas industry representatives raised concerns about the way the changes were worded.

According to the amended ordinance, a noise consultant/engineer will determine the residual background noise level baseline near oil and gas drilling sites, a natural gas compressor station or a natural gas processing plant. The baseline will be established hourly over a 72-hour period, with at least one 24-hour reading on a Saturday or Sunday.

In addition, the amended ordinance states the township may require acoustical blankets, sound walls, mufflers or other alternative methods to ensure compliance near the oil and gas facilities.

Chris Boda, a resident of Oakmont who owns property in Rostraver Township, said he is fearful residents could be at risk for long-term hearing loss.

“I’m concerned that additional provisions in the ordinance could allow levels above the performance standards,” he said. “That could increase noise up to another 15 decibels for up to 10 minutes, which could bring the dBCs to 85. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) put out several memos in the early 1970s that stated hearing damage starts to occur at 70 decibels.”

Maximum permissible levels of steady-state noise emanating from stationary equipment will be 70 decibels between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. and 60 decibels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., under the amended ordinance.

When Boda asked the commissioners why they wrote a special ordinance for the oil and gas industry, solicitor Timothy Maatta replied, “The oil and gas industry is ramping up in this area. It has been in other areas for the past 10 years. I think it’s likely to be ongoing.”

Maatta added, “We’ve been as open and transparent as any municipality has ever been about any ordinance. Is it a perfect document? I don’t know. Time will tell. We’re doing everything we can to protect this township and the residents in it. But we also have to be reasonable and accommodating to industry.”

Rostraver Township resident Martin Griffith also expressed concerns.

“We can’t stop drilling, and we don’t want to stop drilling,” he said. “But we still have to protect the citizens of Rostraver Township.”

Kimberly Price, a representative from Huntley & Huntley Energy Exploration, a natural gas company that plans to open a drilling site in the township, took issue with several provisions in the amended noise ordinance.

“We do support regulations that effectively govern our operations, but our request is that these are reasonable and enforceable,” she said. “Some of the provisions are vague, and some are potentially unenforceable. The assumption that we cause hearing loss is unfair at this point. We want to work with you and illustrate what our concerns are.”

Price said she felt there was time to refine the wording of the ordinance because HHEX isn’t planning on starting drilling until 2020. However, Maatta told Price the board of commissioners would proceed with a vote on the ordinance that evening.

Voting in favor of the amended ordinance were commissioners Ray Iacoboni, Gary Litvany, Gary Beck Sr. and Devin DeRienzo. Henry Boldyzar Jr. was the only commissioner to vote against the ordinance.

“This noise ordinance we have is just a start,” said Boldyzar. “We need to make sure we are protecting the citizens of the township. We still have more work to do.”

DeRienzo said the noise ordinance will probably be amended at some point.

“We will take everything that was said here tonight under consideration,” he said.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Appointed Jeffrey Keffer for a two-year term as township manager. Keffer will continue to serve as township finance manager and will receive a salary increase.
• Awarded a three-year garbage contract to Big’s Sanitation Inc.
• Approved switching the nonuniform pension plan from Mass Mutual to Voya Financial. Voya will provide retirement services to the township road department and administrative employees.
• Agreed to co-sponsor the Annual Rostraver Township Christmas Celebration along with the Greater Rostraver Chamber of Commerce and the Rostraver Lions Club. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Rostraver Township Municipal Complex.
• Moved to purchase a 2019 Chevy Silverado 2500 Short Bed Crew Cab LT for the road department from C. Harper Fleet Sales through the COSTARS Purchasing Program.