PA Environment Digest Blog: Cecil Township, Washington County Posts Proposed Ordinance Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads Of 2,500 Feet From Homes, Businesses; 5,000 Feet From Schools, Hospitals; Nov. 4 Hearing, Meeting Set

Cecil Township, Washington County has posted a proposed ordinance for consideration at a November 4 supervisors meeting establishing setbacks from shale gas well pads of 2,500 feet from homes and businesses as “protected structures” and 5,000 feet from schools and hospitals.

The proposed 25-page ordinance also gives property owners the ability to waive the setback, however, all property owners within the 2,500 or 5,000 foot setbacks must agree to a waiver.

The setbacks for schools and hospitals cannot be waived under the proposed ordinance.

Well pads must also be located not less than 1,000 feet from any residential lot line.

The proposed ordinance is being posted as a follow-up to a series of four public hearings held by the Township on the issue of regulating shale gas well pads, the most recent of which was on September 4. Read more here.

Environmental Impact Analysis

The proposed ordinance also includes provisions requiring an environmental impact analysis to “describe, identify and analyze all environmental aspects of the site and of neighboring properties that may be affected by the proposed operations or the ultimate use proposed to be conducted on the site.”

“The environmental impact study shall include, but not be limited to, all Critical Impact Areas on- or off-site that may be impacted by the proposed or ultimate use of the facility, including the impact on the critical areas, the protective measures and procedures to protect the critical areas from damages, and the actions to be taken to minimize environmental damages to the critical areas on the site and surrounding areas during and after completion of the operation.”

Critical impact areas are defined as: “Those areas which may be more susceptible to damage as a result of the proposed or ultimate use of the facility, including, without limitation: stream corridors; streams; wetlands; slopes in excess of twenty-five percent; sites where there is a history of adverse subsurface conditions or where available soils information or other geotechnical data, including data from the Bureau of Mines, indicates the potential for landslides, subsidence or other subsurface hazards; Class I agricultural lands; highly acidic or erodible soils; carbonate or highly fractured bedrock; aquifer recharge and discharge areas; areas of unique or protected vegetation, wildlife habitat, and areas of historic, cultural and/or archaeological significance.”

“The limits of the impact area to be studied shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.”

Other provisions require an air quality study and monitoring; a hydrologic study to identify any potential impacts to groundwater or aquifers and testing of all water supplies within 1,000 feet of the proposed well pad; pre- and post-development soil testing; limits on ambient noise levels; and regulation of lighting at the drill site.

A water withdrawal plan, waste disposal plan, a plan for the transmission of gas from the development, “to the extent the same is not otherwise included or provided with copies of applications for permits from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” is also required.

Regulation Of Related Oil & Gas Development Facilities

The proposed ordinance also sets requirements for other oil and gas development facilities “which employ the use of compressors, motors or engines as part of the operations and/or produce air-contaminant emissions or offensive odors, subsurface facilities, including horizontal drilling facilities, gathering system facilities and production facilities.”

Oil and gas development is defined as “well site preparation, well site construction, drilling, Hydraulic Fracturing, and/or site restoration associated with an Oil and Gas well of any depth; water and other fluid storage, impoundment and transportation used for such activities; the installation and use of all associated equipment, including tanks, meters and other equipment and structures, whether permanent or temporary; and the site preparation, construction, installation, maintenance and repair of Oil and Gas Pipelines and associated equipment and other equipment and activities associated with the exploration for, production and transportation of Oil and Gas.”

These facilities are subject to the same 2,500 and 5,000 foot setback requirements.

It does not include natural gas compressor stations or natural gas processing plants, which the ordinance says are regulated by the Township’s subdivision, land development and zoning ordinance.

Click Here for a copy of the proposed ordinance and a separate proposed ordinance repealing the Township’s existing oil and gas regulation ordinance.

Hearing/Meeting

The Cecil Township supervisors will hold a hearing on the proposed ordinance November 4 starting at 6:00 p.m.

The supervisors have a regular meeting scheduled for that same day at 7:00 p.m. where a vote on the ordinance is anticipated.

The hearing and meeting will be held at the Cecil Township Municipal Building, 3599 Millers Run Road in Cecil.

(Photos: top- Range Resources Augustine Drill Pad in Cecil Township; Augustine Drill Pad showing scale of operation; bottom- Map of Shale gas wells (red dots), conventional oil and gas wells (blue/green dots) in Cecil Township (DEP Oil & Gas Program); 523 feet from nearest house; Well pad gas flare from bedroom window near Augustine well pad (WTAE). Other photos Courtesy of The Energy Age Blog.)

Resource Link:

-- Cecil Township Supervisors Direct Solicitor To Prepare Ordinance Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads By At Least 2,500 Feet; Another Hearing, Vote Expected Nov. 4 [PaEN]

NewsClips - Cecil Township/Washington County:

-- The Energy Age Blog: Fracking In Cecil Township, Washington County [3.26.24]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Right To A Healthy Life For Babies Near Fracking - Testimony of Dr. Ned Ketyer At Sept. 4, 2024 Cecil Township Hearing

-- The Energy Age Blog: Fracking: Have A Heart For Seniors In Pennsylvania - Medical Evidence Of Fracking Harm from Sept. 4, 2024 Cecil Township Hearing

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Sept. 24 Program In Washington County On Increasing Setbacks From Oil & Gas Infrastructure [PaEN]

-- Landmark Washington County Act 13 PA Supreme Court Case Upholding Right Of Municipalities To Regulate Oil & Gas Drilling As A Land Use

Resource Links - Increasing Gas Infrastructure Safety Zones:

-- Senators Santarsiero, Comitta Introduce SB 581 Increasing Setback Safety Zones From Natural Gas Drilling Sites, Other Infrastructure, Based On Latest Science [PaEN]

-- House Committee Hearing On Increasing Safety Setback Zones Around Natural Gas Facilities Heard About First-Hand Citizen Experiences On Health Impacts; From Physicians On Health Studies; The Gas Industry On Job Impacts [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw, Republican Chair Of Senate Environmental Committee, Called Bill To Reduce Shale Gas Industry Impacts On Health, Environment ‘Stupid’ [PaEN]