in-the-news

Do gas wells pose health risk?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:06:18 +0100

Expert says more research needed

Dr. Volz, speaking to a seminar audience of about 300 at Pitt's Graduate School of Public Health in Oakland on Friday, said emissions of a variety of hazardous air and water contaminants from well wastewater ponds -- including benzene, toluene and xylene -- is clearly a cause for public health concern, especially as the number of deep wells multiply in the coming years.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10240/1083398-454.stm#ixzz0yEAhqpqQ

Seagull Development Corporation drills well near Mayfield Middle School

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:53:00 +0100

He said even though the school objected to having a gas well on the property due to safety concerns for the children, there was not much they could do since Seagull has fulfilled ODNR’s obligations.

The drilling took place before school began for the children, but the fracking is still going on.

http://blog.cleveland.com/sunmessenger/2010/08/seagull_development_corporatio.html

Homeowners vote against drilling

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:50:50 +0100

Rootstown residents reject natural gas lease with energy company, fear for environment

''The environmental concerns overpowered all else,''

Opponents have cited examples of drinking water being contaminated where natural gas drilling has occurred and concern over hydraulic fracturing, a process in which water, sand and chemicals are pumped under pressure into wells to create cracks and free up more natural gas.

http://www.ohio.com/news/101359089.html

TWO OIL AND GAS DRILLING OPERATORS SENTENCED ON FELONY CONVICTIONS FOR VIOLATING THE SAFE ...

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:47:04 +0100

http://www.justice.gov/usao/paw/pr/2010_june/2010_06_24_04.html

Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, June 24, 2010, that a resident of Sheffield, Pennsylvania and a resident of La Quinta, California, have been sentenced in federal court in Erie as a result of their felony convictions for violating the Safe Drinking Water Act by unlawfully injecting brine produced from an oil drilling operation.

United States District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin imposed the sentences on John Morgan, age 54, of Sheffield, Pennsylvania, and Michael Evans, age 66, of La Quinta, California. Mr. Morgan received a sentence of three years probation, a $4,000 fine, eight months home detention and eighty hours community service. Mr. Evans received a sentence of three years probation, a $5,000 fine, ten months home detention and one hundred hours community service.

Ruling gives towns power over drillers

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:50:21 +0100

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/ruling-gives-towns-power-over-drillers-1.968103

Ruling gives towns power over drillers
Published: August 23, 2010

By Elizabeth Skrapits

Would local officials be powerless to stop a natural gas company from
drilling a natural gas well in the middle of a housing development?

Not according to a new state court ruling, which affirms the right of
municipal and county officials to limit natural gas drilling to certain
districts, such as agricultural, mining or manufacturing, and out of
residential neighborhoods.

Three new court decisions were outlined by attorney Jeffrey Malak during a
recent meeting of the Back Mountain Community Partnership in Luzerne
County.

The latest decision, Penneco Oil Co. Inc. v. the County of Fayette,
"...opens up the floodgates and says municipal zoning is not pre-empted"
by the state Oil and Gas Act, Mr. Malak said. The case was decided in
Commonwealth Court on July 22.

Traditionally, local officials have limited say when it comes to natural
gas drilling. Technical aspects, such as what kind of materials to use and
how the well is drilled, are governed by the state Oil and Gas Act. But
local officials are gaining more and more say in where wells can be
drilled.

Two previous cases, Huntley & Huntley v. Oakmont Borough and Range
Resources v. Salem Twp. (Westmoreland County) set precedents allowing
local officials some leeway in regulating where natural gas companies can
drill.

Now the Penneco Oil Co. Inc. v. the County of Fayette decision says the
state Oil & Gas Act does not trump local zoning ordinances, and that local
officials can take steps to protect the residential character of
neighborhoods, Mr. Malak said.

In the case, Penneco, Range Resources Appalachia LLC and the Independent
Oil and Gas Association of Pennsylvania took Fayette County office of
planning, zoning and community development to court, saying it did not
have to follow the county's zoning ordinance because the state Oil and Gas
Act made it invalid. The court ruled in favor of the county.

The Penneco case allows that gas wells cannot be located within the flight
path of an airport runway; that they must be at least 200 feet from a
residential dwelling; and that officials can require fencing and shrubs
around the well site. It also allows zoning hearing boards to impose any
other provisions to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents.

Mr. Malak also said local officials can require a land development plan
from natural gas companies, and they can require special exceptions,
meaning there has to be a hearing in front of the zoning hearing board to
grant permission and to impose any standard planning and zoning fees, in
response to another question.

But, he said, there are still aspects of natural gas drilling that will
have to be decided in court, such as whether there can be restrictions on
hours drillers can operate and whether they can be barred from using roads
at certain times.

Contact the writer: eskrapits@citizensvoice.com

Drill Permit Denied thanks to help from City of North Royalton

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:40:22 +0100

City of North Royalton Sends Letter to ODNR Informing Them That Ohio Valley Energy Systems Did Not Have City Consent To Be Part Of Drilling Unit

http://www.protectourfamiliesandhomes.com/ohiovalleypermitdenied.php

Broadview Heights being mandatory pooled into two gas and oil wells

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:27:13 +0100

August 13, 2010

“The city has been mandatory pooled into two gas and oil wells after a hearing held on Tuesday. Alai said that the city plans on appealing and going to the Ohio Supreme Court if need be.”

http://www.cleveland.com/sunstarcourier/index.ssf/2010/08/broadview_heights_being_mandat.html

Legal action sought over crude-oil spill

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:35:36 +0100

“The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is pursuing legal action against a drilling company following a spill of 1,000 gallons of crude oil from a gas-well leak in Gates Mills on June 19. Rick Simmers, of ODNR, said Tuesday the spill was preventable.”

http://chagrinvalleytimes.com/NC/0/2218.html

Broadview Road closed temporarily between Wallings Road and Broadview Village

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:17:20 +0100

August 03, 2010

According to the Broadview Heights Engineering Department, Gonzoil Oil was trying to bore a gas line and hit a water main on Broadview Road, causing the road to buckle.

http://www.cleveland.com/sunstarcourier/index.ssf/2010/08/broadview_road_closed_temporar.html

Ohio will sue Gates Mills gas well operator

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:10:21 +0100

Published: Friday, July 30, 2010

“We know they don’t have enough inspectors,” councilwoman Karen Schneider said, saying any valve could fail anytime in any part of town. “There’s no guarantee with any of these damn wells.”

Councilman Doug Bletcher said the situation was scary because he suspects ODNR has no process to keep track of defective equipment.

http://blog.cleveland.com/sunmessenger/2010/07/ohio_will_sue_gates_mills_gas.html