Mon Wants State Drilling Regs
Will write letter seeking special legislative session
Morgantown Dominion Post
19 May 2011
By Tracy Eddy
The Monongalia County Commission intends to tell the governor it’s
“time to get serious” about getting regulations for Marcellus shale
drilling in place, Commission President Asel Kennedy said Wednesday.
Commissioners agreed to write the governor a letter, asking for a
special session of the state Legislature to create new regulations to
manage the permitting and drilling of the wells.
Several residents attended the commission’s Wednesday meeting, and
eight spoke out against the drilling — particularly the location of the
wells and the speed at which the permits were issued and drilling
started.
Residents were also gathering on the Courthouse Square to protest the
wells while the commission meeting was happening.
Kennedy said the letter would also mention previous sessions the
legislature tried to address too many items in the same bill, and
commissioners think those items should be dealt with one at a time.
Commissioner Eldon Callen said the county only has the authority the
state gives it, and the governor and the Legislature have to take the
lead on the issue.
Catherine Lozier, from the League of Women Voters, asked the County
Commission to pursue an injunction to stop the Marcellus shale drilling
at the Morgantown Industrial Park on its own, or to partner with the
Morgantown City Council to pursue one.
“We need to slow things down,” she said. “It’s going too fast.”
Commissioner Bill Bartolo said he didn’t know if the county had the
authority to pursue an injunction, but he is not opposed to asking Phil
Magro, the county’s assistant prosecutor, for an opinion.
Duane Nichols, spokesman for the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition, said
the two well sites are too close to the Skyview Elementary and Westwood
Middle schools, just off River Road, as well as to the area’s water
supply and the other facilities in the Morgantown Industrial Park.
“And this is just the first of more wells to come,” he said. “We’re all
going to be in a state of emotional distress.”
Bartolo said he understands there’s concern for the public welfare and
what sort of impact Marcellus shale drilling could have on water and
air.
“It makes sense to me with that kind of impact looming over us that
somebody puts the brakes on this and further investigates it,” he said.
Kennedy said he wouldn’t support a stop-work order, because the driller
has followed all the current laws and was given a legal permit by the
state Department of Environmental Protection.
“You’re trying to make something that was legal today, illegal
tomorrow,” he said. “I just can’t support that.”
Morgantown resident Kathleen Abate encouraged the commissioners to call
their contacts and discuss their concerns about the drilling.
“You’re our elected officials,” she said. “You have status and stature
and I hope you can use it to protect us.”
The Morgantown Industrial Park is in an unincorporated part of the
county near the intersection of River and DuPont roads.