Posts Tagged ‘Supervisors Vice Chairman’

Gas firm asks to lay pipeline in Dallas Twp.

Chief to offer “substantial” cash, says solicitor, who wants to see land involved, right-of-way agreement.

By Steve Mocarskysmocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

and Rebecca Briarbria@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

DALLAS TWP. – An oil and natural gas company has asked township officials if it can lay pipeline underneath township property in return for money.


Two officials from Chief Oil and Gas attended the supervisors meeting Tuesday evening in search of an answer as to whether they can lay pipeline under a parcel of township-owned land.

Supervisor Glenn Howell said the land is along a gravel road off the Old Tunkhannock Highway. The gravel road leads to a Little League field and some other things, he said.

Township solicitor Thomas Brennan confirmed the company is offering “a substantial amount” of money to the township to lay the pipeline, though Brennan would not disclose the amount.

Brennan said there is no question about the legality of allowing the company to lay the pipe underneath township land. However, he said he first wants to take a look at the land to know what is involved.

The officials from the company also are wondering what they would have to do if they wanted to lay pipe under or along the township’s right-of-way. They said more than 20 miles of pipeline is planned coming from the north and terminating east of Dallas High School.

Brennan asked if the officials could provide a copy of the agreement they have with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regarding their right-of-way usage. Brennan told the officials that he would have more information for them at the next supervisors meeting on July 6.

Earlier on Tuesday, township Zoning Officer Len Kozick said he’s heard from property owners in the township that they are being offered right-of-way agreements as well. And at least one agreement has already been signed.

According to Luzerne County property records, Leonard DeLeur, who owns Back to Basics – a fireplace and stove shop in Dallas – leased a 50-foot right-of-way along the edge of his 24-acre property in the township.

DeLeur said Chief offered him $20 per foot of pipeline laid on his property.

Kristi Gittins, vice president, Chief Oil & Gas, said a definite path has not been chosen for a pipeline, and one won’t be chosen until wells are drilled. She said no imminent drilling is planned for Luzerne County; the company’s next two wells will be drilled in Sullivan and Wyoming counties.

Josh Longmore, director of the Luzerne Conservation District, confirmed that drilling is slated to begin on his father’s land in Monroe Township, Wyoming County, in mid-July. His father, Robert Longmore, has a lease allowing Chief to drill on his 97-acre farm near Noxen Township.

Chief, which has 75 wells drilled in 10 counties, has wells in Lycoming, Bradford and Susquehanna counties that are producing gas, but there’s currently no way to get it to market. Gittins said gas is going to market from only about half of Chief’s wells in the Northeast because it takes a while to build a pipeline infrastructure where none previously existed.

Gittins said it costs about $1 million a mile to lay pipeline. And lease holders don’t see any royalty money until the gas gets to market.

Gittins said that Chief is selectively seeking leases in Luzerne County, but only in the area of currently leased land, she said. The company has leased a few properties in Fairmount Township. The Dallas, Texas-based company has 650,000 acres leased in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, she said.

In other business, supervisors awarded a bid for a paving and drainage project on Main and Campground roads to Popple Construction, the lowest bidder, at $147,530 for Main Road and $56,642.33 for Campground Road.

Supervisors Vice Chairman Frank Wagner previously said the project will consist of paving Main Road from the Kingston Township line to Route 309, as well as all of Campground Road.

Also, George Stolarick, who said he has lived on Ridge Street for the past 45 years, asked the supervisors to consider paving his road. Stolarick said that although there are only three houses on his road, eight families use the road to access their homes.

But, Supervisors Chairman Phil Walter said “it’s not in the cards right now.”

Rebecca Bria, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7436. Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.

Copyright: Times Leader

Proposed Lehman Twp. gas drill site contested

Residents challenge zoning permit in area “consistent with agricultural use.”

By Steve Mocarskysmocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

WILKES-BARRE – Some Luzerne County residents have taken legal action challenging the issuance of a zoning permit for a proposed natural gas well drilling site in Lehman Township.

Township residents Dr. Tom Jiunta, Brian and Jennifer Doran and Joseph Rutchauskas are objecting to township supervisors on April 13 granting Whitmar Exploration Co. and EnCana Oil & Gas a conditional use permit for placing a natural gas well on part of an approximately 120-acre site located at 100 Peaceful Valley Road owned by Russell W. Lansberry and Larry Lansberry.

A previous story incorrectly identified the well site as being in Lake Township on property on Soltis Road owned by Amy and Robert Salansky. There has been no appeal of a special-use permit that the Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board approved for that site in May.

Attorney Jack Dean, of Elliott Greenleaf & Dean, filed a notice of appeal of the Lehman Township supervisors’ decision on Monday with the county Prothonotary’s Office on behalf of the objectors.

“There is no credible argument that this industrial use of gas drilling, with the massive disruption that it causes, is consistent with agricultural use, which is what the area is zoned, or with the character of the community,” Dean said.

According to the notice, the supervisors’ decision is contrary to the township zoning ordinance and constitutes an error of law or manifest abuse of discretion in that:

• Gas drilling on the property would jeopardize the community development objectives of the ordinance and adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of the public and the environment.

• Public services and facilities such as streets, sewage disposal, water, police and fire protection are not adequate for the proposed use.

• Existing and future streets and access to the site will not be adequate for emergency services, for avoiding undue congestion and for providing for the public safety and convenience of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and unsafe and/or dangerous traffic conditions will result.

• The nature and intensity of the operation would not be compatible with adjoining development and the character of the zoning district.

• The proposed use would lower the value of nearby properties.

• The proposed use will be more objectionable in terms of noise, fumes, odors, vibration or lighting than other operations permitted in an agricultural district.

At an April 13 public hearing, which EnCana officials did not attend, the supervisors voted unanimously to approve the application if certain conditions were met, including posting bonds totaling $45,732 to maintain Firehouse and Peaceful Valley roads, keeping drilling-related traffic on Firehouse Road and state Route 118 and off Old Route 115, providing adequate insurance coverage for the township and that EnCana sign a legal agreement holding it to its commitment.

Supervisors Vice Chairman Ray Iwanowski made the motion to enact the ordinance and Chairman David Sutton and Supervisor Douglas Ide voted yes. For ethics reasons, only Iwanowski could make the motion; and neither Sutton nor Ide could participate in any questions about the vote or make the original motion because they have personal ties to gas drilling. Ide leased some of his own land for gas drilling, and Sutton consults property owners concerning drilling.

The Lansberry site likely would be EnCana’s third well site in the county if EnCana’s plans are not held up by the appeal. The company plans to begin drilling its first well in the county in July at a Fairmount Township site located off state Route 118 between Tripp and Mossville roads and owned by Edward Buda.

EnCana in May had received approval from the Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board for a drilling site on property at 133 Soltis Road in Lake Township and owned by township Supervisor Amy Salansky and her husband, Paul.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.

Copyright: Times Leader