ADAMS TWP — Township officials say they are looking at the concerns brought to the board of supervisors Monday night by five members of a Mars parents group.

The women, part of a larger group that opposes the five Marcellus Shale gas wells that will soon be built on a farm within one mile of the five Mars schools, attended the supervisors meeting to share their concerns about the future of drilling in the township.

Jackie Smathers told the supervisors that according to the group’s interpretation of the existing zoning ordinance, surface drilling will be permitted as a conditional use in 75 percent of the township.

Supervisors vice chairman Tom Franceschina, who also serves on the township planning commission, said “it’s not a dead issue.”

Supervisor Russ Ford said the supervisors have not been idle regarding Smathers’ concerns.

“There are things we need to work on in this township to tighten up on,” Ford said.

Smathers said the gas and oil portion of the township zoning ordinance should be listed on the township website.

“People looking to move here might have a false sense of security that there is no drilling here,” she said.

Ford told township code enforcement officer Gary Peaco to see that the website is updated to include the information.

Ford also pointed out there is currently one well pad with two wells in the township. The West well is off Valencia Road near the intersection with Union Church Road.

Gail Carpenter asked the supervisors if there is a plan to provide residents with water should shale gas drilling pollute their wells.

Township engineer Ron Olsen told Carpenter the drillers must provide water if a well is affected by drilling operations.

“There have not been a whole lot of occurrences of the loss of wells,” Olsen said.

Michelle Obid told the supervisors in the event of an evacuation resulting from an emergency at a well, having police and firefighters go door to door is an insufficient plan.

She said the township should institute a faster way to notify residents of a problem.

Supervisor Chairman Donald Aiken reminded the group the wells they oppose near the school are in Middlesex Township.

“That gas well (site) isn’t in Adams Township, but whatever we can do to pacify you people, we’ll do,” Aiken said.

Smathers said after the meeting that according to the current zoning ordinance, the Treesdale and Adams Ridge neighborhoods are the only areas in Adams Township where surface drilling is prohibited.