News

June 10, 2010

Lake Twp. residents, officials mull impact of gas drilling

Route that trucks will take, what to do in an emergency among issues considered.

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

LAKE TWP. -- Gas drilling concerns dominated the regular monthly Wednesday night meeting. Residents sought answers from supervisors to protect their rural way of life from possible negative effects from natural gas drilling.

With Encana Oil and Gas U.S.A. to begin construction of a natural gas well off Zosh Road the last week of June, and drilling to begin in August, questions of which route the gas company trucks will be using, what will be stored on-site and what will happen in case of an emergency were on the minds of township residents as well as people from neighboring municipalities.

The property is currently owned by Supervisor Amy Salansky and her husband, Paul. Salansky said the farm was previously owned by an elderly neighbor. He willed the gas and mineral rights to his nephew, who will receive any royalties associated with the drilling.

Salansky purchased the farm from the estate. She said she will not receive any money from the gas company except for property damages.

“I’ll be losing six acres,” she said.

Joseph Rutchauskas, of Lehman Township, lives within the mile radius of the gas well. He questioned supervisors on what could be done to prevent air and water pollution and prevent emergencies.

Supervisors had before them an Emergency Management Manual comprised from information Township Emergency Management Coordinator Barney Dobinick had compiled to handle various situations, from a well fire to injuries on the well site. Dobinick has spent three months working on the manual.

Chairman Lonnie Piatt said the manual, which will be finished by the end of next week, will be reviewed by the supervisors and voted on next month. At that time it will be available for residents to review at the municipal building or pay for a copy.

Piatt said a truck route has been determined to help with safety. The one way-in and one way-out route was discussed between Encana Oil and Gas U.S.A., Lehman Township and Lake Township. Salansky said the trucks will come east on Route 118, turn left on Lehman Outlet Road, left on Hoover Road, right on Sholtis Road, and left on Bosh Road.

Exiting the site, trucks will travel Ide Road, right on Meeker Road, left on Meeker Outlet Road, left on Slocum Road and right on Route 118.

Piatt said fresh and return water will be stored in tanks on-site. The return water would be taken away to Williamsport to a water treatment facility. Fresh water will be trucked in.

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