Rules for injection wells are on the books in Upper Burrell.

Supervisors on Wednesday approved regulations for injection wells that would allow them as a conditional use in industrial-zoned areas in the township only, although some residents asked for more time for things to be cleaned up or clarified in the proposal.

Those comments included questioning some of the measurements in the ordinance, truck and noise traffic and frequency, clarifications of when materials would be tested and making that information available to the public, and who would ultimately be enforcing the rules.

Supervisor Mike Conley said it was important to have the guidelines in place before a company approaches the township to propose an injection well.

There haven’t been any proposals to place an injection well in Upper Burrell, Conley said.

“I take to heart everything everybody had to say tonight,” Conley said. “I know there may be some revisions that need to be made to this ordinance, but I feel right now that we need to get this ordinance on record before somebody does approach Upper Burrell Township.

“We need to protect the people of this community.”

An outright ban of injection wells isn’t legal, said solicitor Steve Yakopec.

An injection well helps place fluids underground in rock formations. When gas companies drill using fracking, millions of gallons of water are pushed at high pressure into the ground to release natural gas trapped in the layers of rock. Some drillers convert abandoned conventional gas wells into injection wells to dispose of that wastewater there.

According to the legislation approved Wednesday, injection well sites can’t be within 2,460 feet of residences or public buildings.

Companies must also submit to the township a schedule of their proposed activities, a risk assessment report, and traffic impact, environmental, air quality, geological, hydrological studies and soil testing. Wastewater and pre- and post-construction testing is also required. If the results of any of those studies show an adverse effect to the township, the request for the injection well would be denied, according to the ordinance.

Copies of periodic state and federal inspections of the site are required to be submitted to the township, according to the ordinance.

Hours of operation for an injection well were set at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Wells must be deeper than 1,500 feet and more than 4 inches in diameter. Only existing vertical wells can be used as injection wells. A truck manifest, outlining what exactly is being transported to the wells, must be submitted to the township.

Supervisors had considered approving an ordinance for injection wells in July and August but held off doing so after residents asked for more detailed, stringent rules.

Having rules in place now makes Upper Burrell less attractive for companies seeking to put in an injection well, said Supervisors Chairman Ross G. Walker III.

“It covers most of the things we talked about, and things that had been brought up,” Walker said. “I would rate it as excellent, but not perfect.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)