Ordinance would add regulations for drilling in certain areas in Jefferson Hills
Another protective layer in response to the natural gas industry has been added to Jefferson Hills Borough's policies.
Council voted 6-0 to adopt an ordinance to establish new zoning overlay districts for oil and gas drilling for unconventional drilling.
Unconventional drilling, defined as Marcellus or Utica Shale drilling, breaks open rocks underground to bring the gas to the surface, explained William Shimko, borough solicitor. The process is also known as fracking. Eleven areas in the borough are part of the zoning overlay, meaning that the drilling company must completes all points of the conditional-use process in the ordinance before work begins in these locations.
Conventional drilling applies to drilling at a depth of less than 5,000 feet and does not involve fracking. More than 50 of those wells already exist in the borough, said Tracey Kahlil, councilman, and they've been there for decades.
“(Unconventional drilling) has bigger well pads,” said Weber. “There is a significant difference in footprint and impact. There is more truck traffic.”
State zoning laws require that all manner of businesses be permitted in a community but that each municipality be allowed to choose where that might be, said Shimko.
“We can't preclude, but we can control,” Weber said.
The council, planning commission and the borough's task force “will allow extraction of gas and oil with the least detrimental impact on residentially zoned property, historic or recreational resources, hospitals, nursing homes, daycare centers and schools,” the ordinance reads.
The borough's task force was established in 2011 to study the extraction process.
“We wanted to get ahead of the curve,” said Weber, “and we are.”
Currently, Geokinetics, USA Inc. is performing seismic testing in Jefferson Hills. Testing already has been completed in the Floreffe portion of the borough.
According to Shimko, 17 local municipalities are being surveyed during exploration for natural gas.
Dona S. Dreeland is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-388-5803 or ddreeland@tribweb.com.
