Franklin Park considering new rules to reduce the impact of fracking

The next step in Franklin Park’s effort to place restrictions Marcellus Shale gas drilling in the borough will be revising the borough’s zoning ordinance with rules designed to limit the impact fracking has on the community and environment.

Because oil and gas drilling is regulated by the state Department of Environmental Protection, municipalities cannot ban the practice. But they have the authority to place limit on things such as where well pads can be located, how much land is required, hours of operation and even how the buildings look.

The borough’s planning commission is scheduled to review the ordinance at its Feb. 19 meeting. A required public hearing will follow on March 20 before council takes the measure up for consideration.

Since the borough’s current zoning law does not address fracking, council passed the new regulations being proposed on Dec. 19 in the form of a “pending ordinance” to which drillers must adhere until the new ordinance is approved.

The pending ordinance were adopted in time to apply to a proposal from PennEnergy Resources, which sought a five-year lease with the borough to extract gas from underneath Linbrook Park using a well head located 3/4 of a mile away in neighboring Economy Borough.

But council rejected the lease on Jan. 14 after numerous residents raised health and safety concerns about fracking and complained that they did not want gas extracted from below the recreation area.

In addition to an array of restrictions and requirements being proposed, the new ordinance would limit the locations where drilling can take place to a designated “oil and gas recovery district” in the northwest quadrant of the borough’s border with Marshall Township.

The area, which contains state game lands, was selected because it is mostly rural and would have the least negative impact on residents.

Some of the features of the proposed zoning change are:

• A requirement that drillers employ “best management practices” that include the use of state-of-the-art techniques and technology to protect the air, water, lands and public health.

• A minimum lot size of 5 acres for gas development sites and facilities.

• Specific distances well pads, buildings and other extraction equipment can be placed from adjoining properties.

• Traffic controls to minimize the impact on roadways, including a requirement to maintain, repair and clean any public roads used for drilling operations. The law also prohibits trucks from staging or idling along roads and requires facilities to have a gated entrance.

• Except for drilling or fracking operations, which are typically conducted with minimal interruption, the hours of operations for facilities and vehicle activity is limited to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays.

• A requirement that facilities be constructed to minimize the amount of earth that is disturbed and the amount of trees, shrubs and other vegetation that are removed. The borough also will require that trees and branches be discarded by chipping instead of burning.

• Structures and other site improvements must be designed and located and integrated with the “natural color, form and topography of the surrounding area” and be constructed with architectural features and materials that mimic nearby building such as sloped roofs and stone and brick accents.

• Operators must pay for the borough’s emergency responders and code officers to attend annual on-site training on how to deal with potential hazards.

• Drillers must provide the borough with detailed information about the chemicals stored and used on the site and the work being performed.

• Around-the-clock security when drilling, fracturing and hydraulic equipment is on site.

• Install a 6-foot tall fence around drilling sites and facilities.

• Respond to complaints about noise, fumes or other annoyances within three days with a plan to address the problem.

• No housing for workers permitted on site.

• No on-site disposal of substances use for drilling and fracking.

• Require drilling operations to comply with Allegheny County air quality regulations and install vapor recovery units to reduce emissions.

• No lighting that shines on nearby roads or adjacent properties.

• Notify the borough’s emergency management officials of spills within 24 hours.

Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tony at 724-772-6368 or tlarussa@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TonyLaRussaTrib.