Geoportal to Track Drilling Industry
Washington PA Observer Reporter
3 June 2010
By Cara Host, Staff writer
chost@observer-reporter.com
WAYNESBURG - Greene County plans to expand its geographic information
system to keep tabs on the drilling industry.
At their meeting today, commissioners likely will modify the county's
contract with GeographIT, a Lancaster-based company that is already
working on the geoportal, a clearinghouse of digital maps depicting
roads, waterways, utility lines and other information.
Soon, the company will start mapping the various gas drilling rigs,
access roads, pipelines and compressor stations located in the area.
GeographIT will be paid $89,000 for the extra work. A state grant that
the county received to start the geoportal will cover the cost.
"We're taking it to another level," Robbie Matesic, director of the
county's planning department, said at the commissioners' agenda meeting
Wednesday. "This information will be very useful to emergency services,
as well as townships, so they can do tax base analysis."
Chris Markel, senior GIS Analyst for GeographIT, said it will probably
take until the end of the year to map the rigs and related
infrastructure currently in place. He will also implement a policy to
update the data and add the locations of new rigs. The company will use
aerial photography and information from government regulators to make
the maps.
Morris Township supervisors agreed to act as a pilot municipality for
the effort.
"So we're going to work out the bugs with them and then move on to the
other townships," Matesic said.
The county and several area universities started collecting geographic
data on the Pittsburgh region about four years ago. Eventually, most of
the maps created through the project will be available online.
After county officials discussed mapping the visible impact of the
drilling industry, the president of the Greene County chapter of the
Izaak Walton League expressed concerns about the drillers'
environmental impact.
"We have the natural gas and the coal, and it's good. It gives us jobs,
and we depend on it, but we are more dependent on water," Ken Dufalla
said. "They need to do it responsibly. Please, do not let us sacrifice
our most precious natural resource."
Commissioner Pam Snyder said it is the job of the state Department of
Environmental Protection to ensure the drilling companies do not wreak
havoc on the rivers and streams.
"We need to keep on the state officials, because that's who holds the
ball," she said.
Dufalla also thanked commissioners for the $3,000 recreational
mini-grant they awarded to the Izaak Walton League. The money was used
to stock trout in Ten Mile Creek.
The league has held several kids' fun days and other fishing
activities, and it is trying to form a waterways trail to allow
kayakers to paddle from Waynesburg to the mouth of the creek.
Dufalla gave commissioners plaques in recognition of their support.