Marcellus Shale Co-Op Meets; Will Host Hearing on Local Impact Fees

The Marcellus Shale Co-Op spearheaded by state Rep. Jesse White organized this past weekend—and the lawmaker today announced the group will host a public hearing regarding local impact fees related to drilling operations.

White said 17 local municipalities met Saturday to formally organize a Marcellus Municipal Co-op program aimed at defining the role and responsibilities of local governments on issues related to natural gas drilling.

As a result of the three-hour workshop, the Co-op established a mission statement, organized a committee structure, discussed issues and goals and planned future events.

White said the group is currently organizing the public hearing for later this summer—one that would solicit testimony from municipal, industry and government representatives on the impact that Marcellus Shale drilling is having on local governments.

"With so many industry leaders such as the Marcellus Shale Coalition located literally in our backyard, we have the ability to bring someone like MSC President Katie Klaber in for an industry perspective on impact fees, and we would hope the industry would be willing partners as we educate the public and ourselves on these critically important and topical issues," White said.

The lawmaker said numerous bills have been introduced in the Legislature that would provide impact fees for local communities, including his own version of the legislation that he is currently drafting.

White said the co-op is currently composed of 17 local municipalities within the his legislative district, which spans three counties.

"The natural gas industry is here to stay, so we have to be thinking about how everyone can co-exist. I have been working with municipalities for months to establish the MMC, the first organization of its kind in Pennsylvania, because it's an efficient way to work together on the many natural gas issues that have placed southwestern Pennsylvania in a national spotlight,"White said. "By working together, the co-op can provide a much-needed service at virtually no cost to the taxpayers, which is important in this time of slashed budgets and limited resources."

During the meeting, White said municipalities focused primarily on developing a mission statement to establish the co-op's agenda and priorities as it moves forward. The statement is modeled after principals of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a Cecil-based organization that works to advance community partnerships, economic development and technology related to natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

 The Marcellus Municipal Co-op will:

• Provide a forum for municipal officials to gather and share the knowledge, skills and tools needed to protect and sustain their communities;
• Allow municipalities to function individually while working together to establish best practices for local governments on issues relating to Marcellus Shale development;
• Communicate and build positive relationships with industry stakeholders, county, state and federal governments, landowners, community groups and local businesses to achieve uniformity and consistency on Marcellus Shale-related issues;
• Focus on fact-based, non-biased community outreach and education to promote honest co-existence between the public and private sectors; and
• Serve as a model of how local governments can be informed and involved without over-regulating and overextending the boundaries of the law and still protect the health, safety and welfare of the public they serve.

"Municipalities will now be able to pool their resources to collectively advocate their needs, facilitate better communication, increase public safety, and also promote the benefits of having the natural gas industry within our region," White continued. "This isn’t a pro- or anti- natural gas forum. It’s an opportunity for local governments to become more familiar with Marcellus Shale issues, learn from each other, establish best practices for local governments and then put those best practices to work."

White said seven committees were established at the meeting to streamline major issue and topics, with individual members volunteering to serve on their select committees.

"The MMC is made up of a highly talented and dedicated group of members who have been in the trenches dealing with these issues before most Pennsylvanians had ever heard the words 'Marcellus Shale'," White said. "These local officials have stepped up to volunteer their time, skills and expertise, drawing from their very unique public and professional backgrounds to work on these committees and the pressing issues before them. They realize the importance of their roles as pioneers in Marcellus Shale development from a government perspective, and everybody is eager to get to work."

The following municipalities and representatives make up the Co-Op:

Buffalo Township- Supervisor Stephanie Gallagher and Planning Commission member Bruce Leavitt
Burgettstown Borough- Mayor Anna Marie Quader and Councilman-elect Mark Sarracino
Cecil Township- Supervisor Tom Casciola and Supervisor Andy Schrader
Chartiers Township- Supervisor Rich Metzler
Cross Creek Township- Township Secretary Rachel Warner Blosser
Frankfort Springs Borough- Mayor Dale Bonner
Hanover Township- Supervisor Nancy Voelker
Independence Township- Supervisor Jim Wright and Code Enforcement Officer Dave Howard
Jefferson Township- Supervisor Chris Lawrence and Planning Commission member Patty Parrish
McDonald Borough- Councilman Mike Schaal
Midway Borough- Borough Secretary Darla Protch and Zoning Officer George Protch
Mt. Pleasant Township- Supervisor Larry Grimm and Manager Mary Ann Stevenson
Robinson Township- Supervisor George Lucchino and Planning Commission member Rich Ward
Smith Township- Supervisor Tom Schilinski and Supervisor Gerry Yacoviello
South Fayette Township- Commissioner Deron Gabriel and Manager Mike Hoy
South Franklin Township- Supervisor Tom Hart and Manager Tyler Linck
West Middletown Borough- Mayor Kerry Krider and Councilman John Opal