Gas wells get OK
MIDDLESEX TWP — Work will restart on the shale gas wells at the Geyer property on Denny Road after the Wednesday night ruling by the zoning hearing board.
The challenge to a zoning amendment meant to regulate gas and oil operations in the township was denied by the zoning hearing board. The amendment was approved in August by the township supervisors.
After numerous lengthy hearings at the fire hall that began in November, the zoning board voted 3-0 to deny the challenge.
The board also denied the challenge to the issuance of permits by the township to Rex Energy for the five Marcellus shale gas wells planned for the Bob and Kim Geyer farm on Denny Road.
Four township residents plus the Philadelphia-based environmental groups the Clean Air Council and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network challenged the zoning amendment because it allows unconventional natural gas drilling operations in much of the township.
Attorneys from the township, Rex Energy and Mark West Energy Partners back the amendment.
The challenge caused a stoppage of the work on the five Rex Energy gas wells at the Bob and Kim Geyer farm on Denny Road, which a group of Mars School District parents have protested for a year because they say research shows that shale gas drilling operations would pose a health and safety hazard to the students in the nearby Mars schools.
The work will begin again as a result of Wednesday's ruling.
After the vote, Michelle Obid of the Mars parent group provided a written statement on the board's action.
“The primary concern of the Mars parent group has always been and continues to be the proximity of drilling operations by our schools,” the statement said. “By upholding the zoning changes in Middlesex, the local public officials failed to provide a balance between residential and industrial areas.”
The statement said the ruling will allow drilling to proceed unfettered around the district despite research and expert testimony given during the hearing.“The local public officials have chosen to place the children of the district within known evacuation zones and known adverse health effects related to this nomadic, heavy industrial process,” the statement said.“There is no compromise when referring to our children's health and safety. The discussion must continue beyond this decision today.”Neither supervisors chairman Mike Spreng nor vice chairman Don Marshall, who attended every hearing session including the vote on Wednesday night, would comment on the ruling.Jordan Yeager, the attorney for the challengers, said the group has 30 days to challenge the zoning hearing board's ruling in Common Pleas Court.“This is round one,” Yeager said after the ruling.Kim Geyer said there is a history in Pennsylvania of retaining and protecting local control, where decisions are made by local officials closest to the issues they decide upon and the people affected by those decisions.“This is a great victory for private property owners' rights as well as a victory for local control,” said Geyer. “The Geyer farm appreciates all the support and prayers from people across the region who have supported us.”Janice Kennedy, a resident who testified for the township and Rex Energy during the hearing, was pleased with the board's ruling.“The people of the township and the elected officials of the township have spoken,” Kennedy said.In a statement provided after the ruling, Rex Energy's regional vice president, Michael Endler, said the board based its ruling on the facts presented to them.“We are pleased with the outcome and plan to promptly resume our well development activities at the Geyer site,” Endler said.He said the ground water sources will be retested in the upcoming days, followed by additional site preparation work and the construction of sound abatement walls.Once the preparation work is complete, the casing for the five wells will be set, the statement said.“Rex Energy remains steadfast in our commitment to safety and environmental compliance,” Endler's statement said. “As activities restart, we will also resume our previous practice of providing operational updates to the Mars School District, local elected officials and emergency management personnel.”After the hearing was adjourned, several members of the Mars parent group held three long banners that read “Protect our children.”
