Sewickley Hills Targets Marcellus Shale Drilling

moved one step closer to enacting an ordinance that targets and regulates Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

Borough Council, under the recommendation of the borough planning commission, voted to send the borough’s draft Marcellus Shale ordinance to the county for review.

The ordinance aims to control gas well drilling in Sewickley Hills by providing guidelines as part of the borough’s zoning regulations. The Marcellus Shale rock formation underlies much of Pennsylvaniaand is  believed to hold trillions of cubic feet of natural gas that could help supply U.S. demand, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

If enacted, the ordinance would permit Marcellus Shale drilling only in the borough's commercial and industrial district, which lies in the area of Glenfield Road and Interstate 79.

Solicitor Art Leonard explained to council that municipalities can’t lawfully ban Marcellus Shale drilling completely from all areas of the borough. Nor can officials be too exclusionary when it comes to zoning drilling, he said.  

“That not’s legal,” Leonard said.

Council directed the borough engineer to review slope requirements and setbacks in the designated commercial district to be sure the borough meets the standard 5-acre minimum required by law.

A public hearing on the matter was also scheduled also for March 28 during council’s regular work session. Property owners will be permitted to voice concerns or opinions on the record.

Sewickley Hills joins and , as well as myriad other local communities that have either passed ordinances or are working to put regulations in place.

Marcellus Shale gas drilling has raised concerns about public health and environmental risks in municipalities across Pennsylvania. Extracting the gas involves horizontal drilling that requires large amounts of water mixed with sand and other proponents to “fracture” the shale under high pressure so the natural gas can flow freely.

Advocacy groups say the drilling is safe, but opponents have expressed concerns about the contaminated water that results from fracking and the potential for gas explosions and other catastrophes.

In Sewickley Hills, council members made their feelings clear about allowing drilling in the borough.

Councilman Klaus Gross said one of his biggest concerns involves the storage ponds for fracking water and the possible destruction of the borough’s watershed.

“I’m opposed to drilling on borough property…I’m opposed to drilling on my property,” Gross said. “I think that’s a serious issue.”  

But Councilwoman Kim Holzer said she felt, considering the borough’s tight financial situation, officials should at least give consideration to allowing possible future drilling on borough property.

“I’m just being a realist,” Holzer said, to which an audience member shouted, “Boo!”

“Boo the 5- or 6-mill tax increase,” Holzer replied. “…Down the road five years, this might be an ace in the hole to help taxpayers."

Councilwoman Cindy Phillips said she doesn’t think at this early stage that anyone has a good handle on all the potential dangers the fracking fluids pose.

Phillips said council could always modify the ordinance to allow drilling, but at this juncture, she thinks “it’s a bad idea.”

“Right now it truly scares me to have someone come in and do drilling,” Phillips said.