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Fracking resolution raises counterpoints
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - March 28, 2012)
Fracking resolution raises counterpoints
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Should the city of Chardon take a stand on hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking?
Chardon City Council's legislative committee is weighing that option after meeting last week to discuss the issue.
Councilwoman Deborah Reiter asked the city to consider taking a stand against the practice which involves drilling vertically then horizontally to extract natural gas from shale deposits about 9,000 feet below ground. The practice uses high-pressured water, sand and chemicals to fracture the shale.
The committee decided to have Chardon Law Director James Gillette prepare sample legislation for it to review and decide whether it's something council should consider.
Councilwoman Leslie Bednar said she's not sure whether council taking a stand on the issue would matter. "I'm not sure it will accomplish much," she said.
Mrs. Bednar said hydraulic fracturing has been in practice for 75 to 80 years, and only the lateral drilling is relatively new feature. Drillers can extend laterally in five or six directions, she said.
Mr. Gillette said the state has taken sole jurisdiction in regulating the drilling. He said the state pre-empts any local legislation on the matter, including noise, odors or building regulations, such as the height of drilling towers.
He said the city's only recourse is to pass a resolution taking a stand on the issue. He said Burton village and Chester Township have passed resolutions asking the state to consider a moratorium on the drilling process until stricter regulations are put in place to protect ground water. "Other than that, that's all you can do," Mr. Gillette said.
He said the chances of a driller operating in the city are slim, given the acreage requirements for drilling. However, he said, the lateral extensions could go under the city limits from a drilling site elsewhere.
Chardon Planning and Zoning Administrator Steven Yaney said, at most, there may be 10 properties in the city that would have sufficient acreage for drilling.
Councilman Mitch Hewitt said he researched the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for information on the matter. He said each well can use up to 4 million gallons of water in the drilling process. A golf course can use up to 5 million gallons in a week, he said.
Catherine Whitright, a Munson Township resident, said there's a difference. She said water on a golf course is returned to the natural process of recycling in the earth. But water from the drilling process is tainted with chemicals and must be disposed of in licensed injection wells, she said.
The state should work to protect ground water from contamination by fracking, Mrs. Whitright said. "This is not something we can fix if it's broken."
Mrs. Bednar said there are two sides to every issue, and fracking offers the promise of a "huge" number of jobs at a time when people are unemployed or underemployed. She said the jobs can have a greater impact, because workers on the rigs spend money at grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and other shops.
Mrs. Whitright said, while there has been a promise of jobs, many of the workers employed on rigs come from outside the area. "I understand the money, but, if we don't have water, it doesn't matter how much money is involved," she said.
Mrs. Reiter said resolution may influence state officials if enough communities take a stand. "It's an inexpensive tool to protect our water," she said.
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