July 25, 2010-
Stow — A proposal to drill a natural gas well at a Stow church was denied by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The ODNR ruled July 16 that Beck Energy, located in Ravenna, would not be permitted to drill a well at Stow Community United Church of Christ, 1567 Pilgrim Drive. By law, Beck Energy has a right to appeal within 30 days.
David Beck, president of Beck Energy, did not return calls for comment as of press time.
“I am pleased the permit was denied,” Stow Law Director Brian Reali said. “Hopefully, Beck forgoes an appeal, does the right thing and simply walks away from this ill-conceived idea.”
The Rev. Bill Meyer, the church’s interim pastor, said, “Some folks believe this could be done safely. Other folks say this is not a good idea.
“We want to be a good neighbor, whether this goes forward or not,” Meyer said. “That continues to be our position.”
Tom Tugend, deputy chief of the ODNR’s Division of Mineral Resources Management, said one of the reasons the well was denied was that an alleged violation was found by the ODNR on a Beck Energy-drilled well in Benton Township in Monroe County, Ohio.
“An inspector noticed drilling fluids had been leaked into a stream,” Tugend said. “There was a large notch on the side of the drilling pit that released the fluids. The drilling fluids and sediment entered the stream.
Tugend said drilling companies are “required” to dispose of the drilling fluids, but the way the fluids were released in this case was “a violation of the law.”
“Their reason for doing it is not necessarily relevant, though,” Tugend said.
“At this point, any application they file, we will deny. The law is very clear. They are in violation.”
Tugend said another reason why the drilling was denied was because the ODNR requested more information from Beck regarding who signed the lease and why.
“[Beck] sent in a letter explaining it to some degree, but not in enough detail,” Tugend said.
Tugend said three of Beck Energy’s applications for natural gas drilling have been denied, including the one at the Stow church.
Another one that was denied is on the Tallmadge-Munroe Falls border — 10 acres in Tallmadge near the west portion of North Munroe Road, where the other half of the street is owned by Munroe Falls.
The third is in Jackson County.
Tugend said Beck Energy’s existing gas well operations would be permitted to continue.
The ruling on the well at Stow Community was part of a mandatory pooling process, sought by Beck, in which the state rules on whether the drilling can go forward if not everyone within 300 feet of the proposed well head is on board with the idea. Although 16 families signed a lease, giving their approval of the drilling, one family plus the city of Stow opposed the idea, city officials said.
“This is not about an ‘anti-drilling’ agenda,” Reali said. “Drilling in this residential neighborhood is simply inappropriate. A worst case scenario of a well or drilling failure here may have devastating effects on the surrounding neighbors, schools, water tower and nursing home.”
Rich Reinhart, one of the church leaders, stressed that the church’s finances and membership have stabilized.
“We feel our need for a natural gas well is not as pressing as it was two years ago,” Reinhart said.
Originally, the church sought the natural gas well to receive revenue due to a dwindling congregation.
“Whatever happens, or doesn’t happen, we have no hard feelings against anyone,” Reinhart said.
Original source: http://www.stowsentry.com/news/article/4864468
