Cecil Supervisors Table Conditional-Use Amendment for Marcellus Shale Drilling Ordinance

Tuesday night the adoption of the amendment to the oil and gas drilling ordinance governing Marcellus Shale in Cecil Township was tabled after the board was unable to finalize a decision on an

Ken Komoroski, counsel for Southpointe-based Range Resources, commented on the ordinance, criticizing what he considers an “unpredictable process” and questioned the legality of it.

“It continues to contain many provisions that are vague and we consider the ordinance to be unlawful,” Komoroski said.

Komoroski then extended an offer to work with Cecil Township to develop a more agreeable and predictable process for applicants wishing to drill in the area.

Supervisors requested written feedback from Range Resources on the proposed ordinance, especially regarding the nine areas Komoroski specifically highlighted as being unlawful.

Some of the matters covered in these sections are implementing the best technology available to limit emissions from condensate tanks, the applicant covering attorney and engineer expenses as they relate to an application, and the overlay district.

Township solicitor John Smith argued that while some townships may abuse stipulations requiring conditional-use applications to be resolved within 60 days, he has sat in on hearings in Robinson Township where three applications passed in one night.

“Range Resources helped draft a good part of the ordinance that you read. What Range has trouble with, for the most part, is the conditional-use process, not the ordinance,” Smith said.

According to Komoroski the experience in Robinson is the exception, not the rule when it comes to how conditional-use hearings typically play out.

The board is expected to vote on the ordinance after a decision has been made on the overlay district. The continued public hearing for the overlay district will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8.