Posts Tagged ‘Township’

By Elizabeth Skrapits (Staff Writer)
Published: July 20, 2010

LEHMAN TWP. – The company drilling the Back Mountain’s first exploratory natural gas well will take care of township roads, but residents should be proactive in reporting problems, supervisors said Monday.

Encana Oil & Gas USA Inc. will start site preparation in August to drill an exploratory natural gas well at 203 Zosh Road in Lake Township, not far from the Lehman Township border.

During the process, trucks leaving the site will use Ide, Meeker and Slocum roads in Lehman Township to reach state Route 118. Encana has agreed to maintain the roads in equal or better condition during the drilling process, Supervisor Chairman David Sutton said in response to a question by resident Joseph Rutchauskas.

Encana paid for repaving the stone arch bridge on Slocum Road, but the township’s road department filled in all the potholes, Supervisor Douglas Ide said. But the company will take that over when work begins, he said.

“The day they start trucks, the maintenance is theirs for the duration,” Ide said.

Rutchauskas said work had already started, because Zosh Road – which becomes Ide Road in Lehman Township – was closed, so Encana should be responsible now. The supervisors disagreed.

Penn State’s Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads is overseeing a project with the Luzerne County Conservation District in which Encana is paying to strip and pave a 100-foot section of Zosh Road to see how it will hold up under heavy truck traffic.

According to plans filed with the Luzerne County planning and zoning department, Encana anticipates 16 to 18 weeks of traffic during which a total of approximately 2,100 trucks will travel on Lake and Lehman township roads: 200 during site preparation, 100 during the well drilling and 1,800 during the completion phase, when tankers will bring in the roughly 6 million gallons of water needed for hydraulic fracturing.

Encana has submitted a $956,844 bond to cover Outlet, Ide, Meeker Outlet and Slocum roads and the Slocum Road stone bridge. Township officials stressed Encana’s willingness to work with them.

“Anything we have billed Encana for, we have been paid within 30 days,” Treasurer Alvin Cragle said.

“They have been nothing but cooperative in everything we’ve asked them to do,” Sutton agreed.

Rutchauskas asked the supervisors to keep an eye on the drill site and coordinate with Lake Township so residents will be aware of issues like road closings.

Sutton said they would, but “we don’t have the resources to watch 24-7,” he said. He said residents need to be proactive and call if they see problems.

eskrapits@citizensvoice.com , 570-821-2072

View article here.

Copyright:  The Citizens Voice

Chief to offer “substantial” cash, says solicitor, who wants to see land involved, right-of-way agreement.

By Steve Mocarskysmocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

and Rebecca Briarbria@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

DALLAS TWP. – An oil and natural gas company has asked township officials if it can lay pipeline underneath township property in return for money.

Two officials from Chief Oil and Gas attended the supervisors meeting Tuesday evening in search of an answer as to whether they can lay pipeline under a parcel of township-owned land.

Supervisor Glenn Howell said the land is along a gravel road off the Old Tunkhannock Highway. The gravel road leads to a Little League field and some other things, he said.

Township solicitor Thomas Brennan confirmed the company is offering “a substantial amount” of money to the township to lay the pipeline, though Brennan would not disclose the amount.

Brennan said there is no question about the legality of allowing the company to lay the pipe underneath township land. However, he said he first wants to take a look at the land to know what is involved.

The officials from the company also are wondering what they would have to do if they wanted to lay pipe under or along the township’s right-of-way. They said more than 20 miles of pipeline is planned coming from the north and terminating east of Dallas High School.

Brennan asked if the officials could provide a copy of the agreement they have with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regarding their right-of-way usage. Brennan told the officials that he would have more information for them at the next supervisors meeting on July 6.

Earlier on Tuesday, township Zoning Officer Len Kozick said he’s heard from property owners in the township that they are being offered right-of-way agreements as well. And at least one agreement has already been signed.

According to Luzerne County property records, Leonard DeLeur, who owns Back to Basics – a fireplace and stove shop in Dallas – leased a 50-foot right-of-way along the edge of his 24-acre property in the township.

DeLeur said Chief offered him $20 per foot of pipeline laid on his property.

Kristi Gittins, vice president, Chief Oil & Gas, said a definite path has not been chosen for a pipeline, and one won’t be chosen until wells are drilled. She said no imminent drilling is planned for Luzerne County; the company’s next two wells will be drilled in Sullivan and Wyoming counties.

Josh Longmore, director of the Luzerne Conservation District, confirmed that drilling is slated to begin on his father’s land in Monroe Township, Wyoming County, in mid-July. His father, Robert Longmore, has a lease allowing Chief to drill on his 97-acre farm near Noxen Township.

Chief, which has 75 wells drilled in 10 counties, has wells in Lycoming, Bradford and Susquehanna counties that are producing gas, but there’s currently no way to get it to market. Gittins said gas is going to market from only about half of Chief’s wells in the Northeast because it takes a while to build a pipeline infrastructure where none previously existed.

Gittins said it costs about $1 million a mile to lay pipeline. And lease holders don’t see any royalty money until the gas gets to market.

Gittins said that Chief is selectively seeking leases in Luzerne County, but only in the area of currently leased land, she said. The company has leased a few properties in Fairmount Township. The Dallas, Texas-based company has 650,000 acres leased in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, she said.

In other business, supervisors awarded a bid for a paving and drainage project on Main and Campground roads to Popple Construction, the lowest bidder, at $147,530 for Main Road and $56,642.33 for Campground Road.

Supervisors Vice Chairman Frank Wagner previously said the project will consist of paving Main Road from the Kingston Township line to Route 309, as well as all of Campground Road.

Also, George Stolarick, who said he has lived on Ridge Street for the past 45 years, asked the supervisors to consider paving his road. Stolarick said that although there are only three houses on his road, eight families use the road to access their homes.

But, Supervisors Chairman Phil Walter said “it’s not in the cards right now.”

Rebecca Bria, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7436. Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.

Copyright: Times Leader

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

Encana Gas and Oil spokeswoman says company would be required by the state to correct problems.

By Jen Marckinijmarckini@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

LEHMAN TWP. – Stefanie Spezzia and her husband, Howard, live just outside of a one-mile radius of an exploratory drilling well site in the Back Mountain.

The Spezzias built their Shady Lane home nearly four years ago, but now they worry about the possibility of water contamination due to drilling into the Marcellus Shale for natural gas. It was one of many concerns talked about at a Tuesday evening meeting for neighbors within the proposed “Salansky” gas well site area, as it is called by the company.

“We don’t have the money to put a new well up,” said Stefanie Spezzia. “If the water is contaminated and they can’t fix it, we have nowhere to go.”

EnCana Oil and Gas Inc., which operates from its headquarters in Denver, Colo., has about 8,700 gas wells across the United States. This is the first time the gas company is drilling into the Marcellus, according to Wendy Wiedenbeck, spokeswoman for the eight-year-old natural gas company.

“How safe are we from you polluting our water on your first endeavor?” asked one of the estimated 130 in attendance.

EnCana is attempting to establish a baseline for water quality and quantity conditions by requesting property owners participate in a water sampling assessment, which will be collected by Rettew Associates, a third-party environmental-testing firm based in Lancaster.

Letters were mailed April 8 to landowners located within a mile radius of the well covering Lake and Lehman townships, and Harveys Lake borough.

Wiedenbeck said the gas company would be required by the state to correct water contamination problems.

“We will take every safeguard to not impact your water,” she said to concerned residents.

Wiedenbeck said the company is committed to responsible development and protecting the water by baseline water testing.

But, residents such as the Spezzias and homeowner Libby Davis, who resides with family at their Meeker Outlet Road property just within the well drilling radius, remain skeptical.

Davis, of Lake Township, said she has not signed an access agreement that would allow the collection of water samples.

Township officials voted unanimously on April 13 to allow the company to drill near Peaceful Valley Road.

Jen Marckini, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7210.

Copyright: Times Leader

Some residents oppose, but solicitor says only state can halt drilling operations in municipalities.

RALPH NARDONE Times Leader Correspondent

LEHMAN TWP. – Township residents will be getting a new neighbor when EnCana Oil and Gas USA begins drilling for natural gas in late summer.

Township officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve an ordinance allowing the company to start Marcellus Shale gas drilling operations near Peaceful Valley Road.

Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Ray Iwanowski made the motion to enact the ordinance and Chairman David Sutton and Supervisor Douglas Ide voted yes.

Township Zoning Board Solicitor Jack Haley addressed a well-mannered crowd of about 70 people before the vote, essentially telling them the township was in no position to halt the company’s plans.

Some residents who expressed opposition wanted the supervisors to “send a message” by not enacting the ordinance, Haley said. That would have amounted to “civil disobedience,” he said.

According to Haley, all authority to halt drilling operations in any municipality in Pennsylvania lies in the hands of state agencies, not local governments. The township’s rules are “superseded” by the state Oil and Gas Act, he said.

The state Supreme Court already reviewed two similar cases, he added, and decided the only authority Lehman Township has applies to what roads EnCana can use.

Haley also addressed concerns raised that two of the supervisors, Ide and Sutton, have personal ties to gas drilling. Ide leased some of his own land for gas drilling, and Sutton consults property owners concerning drilling, Haley said.

Both members could only second the motion or vote yes but could not participate in any questions about the vote or make the original motion. The only supervisor who could make the motion was Iwanowski.

The state Ethics Commission checked into the potential conflict of interest involving the two supervisors.

Iwanowski outlined six conditions to the motion: that EnCana put up $13,540 to maintain Firehouse Road through the total time it is used; EnCana put up $32,192 to maintain Peaceful Valley Road similarly; all traffic related to the drilling traverse on Firehouse Road toward state Route 118; no traffic will go on Old Route 115 in the township (near the school); EnCana provide adequate insurance coverage for the township, and that a legally binding agreement be signed by EnCana holding it to its commitment.

No representatives from EnCana attended the meeting.

About 25 peaceful protesters were there greeting meeting attendees at the door with anti-drilling literature. Leanne Mazurick, 30, of Dallas Township, stressed the industry is essentially “unregulated.” She said residents in other communities of Northeastern Pennsylvania are having trouble with water contamination where there is drilling.

“We want safeguards put in place,” she said.

Karen Belli, of Dallas Township, and member of Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition, emphasized a long list of ills that arise from local gas drilling. She pointed to homeowners in one local community have to use “water buffaloes” for their water supply because of the contamination.

Belli also questioned how Supervisors Ide and Sutton could be involved in the vote knowing their connections to the industry.

Not all in attendance were opposed. Barry Edwards, of Lehman Township, said the concerns about water are just a “harangue.” He added that in Susquehanna County the drilling companies have made the roads “better than the ever.”

Iwanowski said fixed-income elderly residents and farmers facing large debt are finding the gas drilling a financial “godsend.”

He said the ordinance allows EnCana to drill only vertically. If it wishes to expand horizontally underground that will require another vote from the township.

Copyright: Times Leader

Supervisor seeking a meeting with Encana Energy Corp. so questions can be fielded.

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

LAKE TWP. – On Wednesday night, supervisors and residents discussed concerns about gas drilling likely to begin in May or June.

A property off Zosh Road, near the border with Lehman Township, will be a future site of a Marcellus Shale gas drilling operation. Supervisors were unsure of the exact acreage of the property.

Supervisor Amy Salansky said the drilling company is Encana Energy Corp., headquartered in Calgary, Canada, working in partnership with WhitMar Exploration Co.

Knowing residents will have many concerns, Salansky said she is trying to arrange a meeting with Encana Energy Corp. so questions can be addressed.

Concerned about gas trucks blocking roads, resident Charles Kohl questioned supervisors on which routes the trucks will be using. Salansky said an official route has not been submitted by Encana. She added the trucks will not be blocking roads.

“During a recent zoning board meeting, possible routes were discussed but nothing was decided,” she said.

Township solicitor Mark McNealis said it is not up to the supervisors to decide which public roads the gas company can and cannot use.

Chairman Lonnie Piatt said supervisors are looking into bonding roads for weight limits. By bonding roads and posting weight limits, the township is protecting roads from damage caused by heavy trucks.

The procedure to bond a road requires an engineer to study the materials in the road makeup and determine how much weight those materials can sustain.

About three quarters of the township roads are dirt and gravel roads. Zosh Road is one of them. Piatt said that currently the gas company would assume responsibility for repairing and maintaining Zosh Road.

Residents within a mile of the site are being advised to get their well water tested. This would provide them with a starting point baseline to measure if contaminants should leak in.

If residents visit Penn State’s Cooperative Extension’s Web site at http://water.cas.psu.edu and click on “Drinking Water,” then “Testing & Protection” and then “Find a Local Water Lab,” they will find a listing by county of accredited water testing laboratories.

The next supervisors’ meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 14 in the municipal building.

Copyright: Times Leader

Tunkhannock expecting $439,975 check in March from Chesapeake Energy.

By Rory Sweeneyrsweeney@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

Tunkhannock Township in Wyoming County announced this week it received the signed agreement for its gas-drilling lease with Chesapeake Energy for about 76 acres of public land.

The up-front bonus check for $439,975 is expected in early March.

The township board had signed the lease in October, but the process was delayed because of municipal regulatory requirements.

“We were part of the Wyoming County land group, but we had to put it out for bid being a municipality,” said Judy Gingher, the township’s secretary.

The bid stipulated, however, that the winning bidder had to have at least 1,000 acres already leased in the township, and no one entered a bid.

The township received $5,762 per acre, which was $12 per acre more than for private landowners, Gingher said. The township currently has no plans for the money.

“They’re looking possibly just to invest it,” Gingher said.

Gingher said there were minor community concerns about surface-drilling activity because much of the land is in the township’s 42.5-acre Lazy Brook Park, which hosts a variety of community functions.

The land might be off limits to surface activity because of building-setback requirements and deed restrictions.

Much of it was purchased in 2006 through hazardous flood mitigation buyouts, which carry emergency management agency restrictions that prohibit permanent structures.

Township Solicitor Paul Litwin was unsure if drilling would be considered a restriction, though, because the drilling infrastructure is temporary and the resulting well pad likely wouldn’t impede flood flow, which is the purpose of the restrictions.

Structures are permissible “as long as you don’t increase the flood height with the structure, and a pad would basically be flat once you put the structure in,” he said.

“The question we’ll have to resolve if they want to put a pad there is that a permanent structure, and we’ll have to look at that if and when they want to do that. … They haven’t applied yet, so we haven’t looked at it yet. … My guess is it probably would not be considered permanent.”

Brian Grove, the director of corporate development at Chesapeake, declined to comment on the lease or plans for the property.

Copyright: Times Leader

On WVIA show, members of industry admit not telling public about methods.

By Rory Sweeneyrsweeney@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

PITTSTON TWP. – Members of the gas-drilling industry acknowledged on Thursday evening a failure to inform the public about their procedures, and the audience at the WVIA call-in show reminded them of that often.

Viewers of the “State of Pennsylvania” program repeatedly questioned – through the Internet, phone calls and in person – potentials for polluting, environmental justice issues and the industry’s willingness to abide by regulations.

There were even sporadic bursts of applause when in-house questions touched on contentious issues. “I don’t want it (Marcellus Shale drilling) in Luzerne County,” said Audrey Simpson of Shavertown “Take a trip up to Dimock (Township in Susquehanna County) and see what the hell is happening to those people up there.”

There, methane contamination in 13 wells is being attributed to gas-drilling activities. Those affected have brought a lawsuit against the local driller, Cabot Oil and Gas.

A Cabot representative was not among the panel.

In fact, the only driller there was Chesapeake Energy, represented by David Spigelmyer, the vice president of government relations for Chesapeake’s Eastern Division. The company has defended the industry by itself at several similar public-input meetings.

Early on during the hour-long program, the vehemence was foreshadowed by Gary Byron, a former state Department of Environmental Protection official and the president of Dux Head Environmental Services, a consulting firm for the drilling industry.

“The industry and the DEP don’t agree on a lot, but the one thing they do agree on,” he said, is that information has lagged behind drilling activity so much that “there are a lot of misconceptions about the industry.”

He added that many of the companies need to be educated about regulatory methods in Pennsylvania. “They want to comply,” he said.

Bruce Bonnice, who has worked for several resource-conservation groups but also leased his land to Carrizo Oil and Gas and now consults for them, likened the risks to everyday transportation. “I’m not sure I’m going to have a car accident every time I get in my car, but I still travel,” he said.

Spigelmyer noted plans for taxing the industry are premature because the Marcellus hasn’t yet shown it’s worth refocusing capital from other gas shales in southern states. He added that regulatory overhead would further stunt that process.

Copyright: Times Leader

CAMILLE FIOTI Times Leader Correspondent

LEHMAN TWP. – Chris Miller of Jackson Road voiced concerns Monday about the effects of possible gas drilling in the township.

“I am not opposed to gas drilling,” he said told the township supervisors at their meeting. “I am concerned and vigilant about what gas drilling can do to our special community if we do not properly plan.”

He commended the board for passing the Growing Greener ordinance last year that was adopted to help preserve natural, open space in the township.

“Many of us who live here do so because this is a wonderful community,” Miller said. “Our kids can breathe fresh air. The water is clean. There is plenty of forest to hike and hunt in and streams to fish in,” he added.

Supervisor Ray Iwanoski said the board is also concerned; however, the state, not the township, has control over drilling. Drilling hasn’t started in the township, but a number of leases have been issued, Supervisor Dave Sutton said.

“I’m also not opposed to drilling,” Sutton said. “But the township’s initial concern is damage to the roads.” Large trucks hauling machinery and polluted water used in hydraulic fracturing – the type of drilling used to stimulate the release of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale – will take a toll on the township’s roads, Sutton added.

Iwanoski said the board plans to meet with representatives from Whit Mar, the Denver-based firm that has a hold on the area’s gas leases.

In another matter, Sutton addressed complaints made by several Oak Drive residents at last month’s meeting regarding the condition of their road. Sutton said the residents complained that their road is riddled with potholes and is dangerous to drive on.

“There was a lot of exaggeration at the last meeting,” he said. He said he tested the road on his way home from that meeting. “The road is very safe. It was very easy to drive.”

Iwanoski added the road didn’t qualify for a state grant to pave it. He said the road crew patched the potholes the day after the complaints were made.

Copyright: Times Leader