Posts Tagged ‘Doug Ide’

CAMILLE FIOTI Times Leader Correspondent

LEHMAN TWP. – Supervisor Dave Sutton fielded questions from a resident Monday regarding expected truck traffic, especially on Route 118, from gas-drilling sites in the area.

Sutton said the township doesn’t have jurisdiction over Route 118 because it is a state road.

EnCana Oil & Gas USA, which plans to drill a vertical well in the Marcellus Shale off Peaceful Valley Road, as well as one in Lake Township, is working with emergency officials from both townships, as well as Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School, to work out a traffic plan, Sutton said.

In another matter, Supervisor Doug Ide said he is putting together a list of roads that need paving. He added that patch work is being done throughout the township.

Through an intermunicipal partnership, the township and Dallas Borough were able to purchase a paver and roller, with a state community development grant, and share paving projects.

“Neither of us could do it alone,” said Sutton. “But working together, we’ve been able to stretch our dollars further.”

The township saves 35 percent of paving costs by using township employees, he added.

The supervisors voted to approve the following temporary permits: Wilkes-Barre Triathlon to start and finish at Penn State, Lehman Campus on Aug. 22, pending receipt of insurance; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church for a picnic to be held July 16-28; Royal TZ Car and Truck Show at Luzerne County Fairgrounds on May 29.

Copyright: Times Leader

Community partnership members worry about road deterioration, water supplies.

By Rebecca Briarbria@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

DALLAS TWP. – Lehman Township Supervisor Doug Ide informed members of the Back Mountain Community Partnership Thursday afternoon at Misericordia University about the latest natural gas drilling news in the area.

The BMCP is an inter-municipal group composed of Dallas, Franklin, Jackson, Kingston and Lehman townships and Dallas Borough.

Ide attended a public information session by EnCana Oil and Gas Tuesday at Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School. He and the other Lehman Township supervisors have also met with EnCana representatives.

Ide says he learned WhitMar Exploration Company has leased 24,000 acres of property in the northwestern part of Luzerne County, mainly on the north side of Route 118 in Fairmount, Ross, Lake and Lehman townships.

“The gas drilling is going to be here in the Back Mountain,” said Al Fox, BMCP president. “I thought it was quite alarming to hear the other day that 800 people signed up.”

According to Ide, EnCana, which will do the drilling, hopes to form two exploration wells in the county – one in Fairmount Township and one in Lehman Township – if they receive the required permits. The wells will prove whether there is natural gas in the area.

Ide says EnCana is willing to bond any road the township requests. Road deterioration and traffic from heavy trucks and machinery has been a common concern among the BMCP.

“We’re going to set some conditions on some roads we do not want traveled, specifically Old Route 115, Hillside Road,” Ide said.

BMCP officials decided to invite representatives from EnCana to speak at the group’s January meeting.

In February, the BMCP will invite back Brian Oram, a geologist and Wilkes University professor, to discuss what the municipalities should do to safeguard their drinking water and other issues related to drilling.

Oram spoke at the BMCP’s September meeting and briefly touched on water’s involvement in natural gas drilling.

In other news, the BMCP approved each member municipality to contribute $300 each to the group’s proposed 2010 operating budget. The budget is to cover general government administration costs.

Copyright: Times Leader