Some Compromise Reached on Compressor Stations; Hearing Again Continued

Cecil Township Board Chairman Mike Debbis said it over and over again: "It's not about you."

His comments to MarkWest's special counsel Chris Rimkus were made during the board's public hearing regarding an ordinance that would make compressor stations related to Marcellus Shale drilling a conditional use—the seventh held on the issue.

Debbis reiterated the point several times: The final ordinance will be one that all companies will have to comply with—not just MarkWest—and explained that the conditions are in place to ensure the safety of the township's 11,000 residents.

Even if the company doesn't necessarily agree with them, or think they are necessary.

Rimkus, flanked by three fellow representatives from MarkWest, met with supervisors to go through the proposed ordinance line by line—discussing changes the company would like to see made to the language in the document.

While legal banter and engineering lingo dominated the more than three-hour meeting, the board and company agreed to compromise on many of the conditions set forth in the proposed ordinance.

But they just had to agree to disagree on some others—with Rimkus specifically objecting to required environmental and ambiant noise testing, the proposed setbacks and design specifications for the facilities.

He told supervisors that acquiring an accurate ambiant noise reading at the company's proposed compressor site off state Route 980 would be difficult—and that the results wouldn't necessarily be indicative of the noise emanating from the site.

"Given that this property is on a major road, how can ambiant noise level readings on the road be adequately generated?" Rimkus asked in his notes.

But after some discussion, the board and MarkWest agreed on language that would set the maximum decibal level for the sites at 55.

As for air emissions and other environmental testing, Rimkus reiterated what he and representatives from Range Resources have long stated: That regulations are already in place by the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and Range Resources and West-Mark believe the requirements overreach.

But Solicitor John Smith maintained that none of the testing requirements set forth in the ordinance are all permitted under state law.

And supervisors reiterated what they have long maintained: That testing by a third party for issues such as air quality are necessary to ensure the safety of those residents living near the facilities.

"Right now you're telling us to just trust you," Supervisor Andy Schrader said.

The subject of setbacks, though, was more contentious.

MarkWest steadfastly maintains that the township's proposed setback of 1,500 feet from occupied structures would make acquiring a large enough tract of land to build such a facility nearly impossible.

Rimkus said the company believes that a 500-foot setback would be sufficient.

But supervisors and at least one resident said they believed the 1,500 feet is non-negotiable.

Then there was the issue of design standard specifications for the facilities themselves—a section of the ordinance that Rimkus said he objected to generally.

Simply put, he said: "We shouldn't be told how to do our stuff."

Specifically, he said that the stipulation in the proposed ordinance that would limit the facilities to five electric-driven motors and one internal-combustion engine as a backup is unreasonable.

And, at least in the meantime, could be impossible, Rimkus said.

He said that acquiring the utility company to run high-power lines to power the site would "take years."

That's when resident Elizabeth Cowden—who is also running for supervisor in November's election—spoke up, asking if the company and township could come to a compromise on the matter.

She asked if the two sides would agree to allow a set number of internal-cumbustion engines with stipulations that any additional ones added would need to be powered by electricity.

That way, she reasoned, the company would be able to conduct business, and the township would still be protecting residents with what it deems a safer process with less emissions.

Both the board and representatives from MarkWest said it could be considered, and that the suggestion would be suggested to senior planners.

As for other stipulations in the design-standard portion of the ordinance, which included specifications for such things as access roads, Rimkus said: "This might be overkill is all."

The board ultimately decided to keep the meeting open, although it did not set a new date for the continuation.

Smith said the document would need to be tweeked and suggested that supervisors wait until their November meeting to set the date for the next public hearing.

Possible action on the ordinance could come in December.