Seismic testing is now further regulated in Monroeville as council unanimously passed an ordinance Sept. 12 that governs those types of activities in the municipality. Additionally, council also approved advertising an amendment to its oil and gas ordinance.
The seismic testing ordinance calls for applicants wishing to perform seismic testing to pay a $1,000 non-refundable permit fee and put $5,000 in an escrow account. That account would be used to reimburse Monroeville for the “reasonable cost of review, permit issuance and inspection activities associated with the permit, including energy costs.”
Before any seismic testing can occur, the permit holder must also provide $500,000 in the form of a performance bond, letter of credit, or escrow deposit that would be used to protect Monroeville from any and all losses, damages and costs arising from the testing.
Seismic testing typically involves trucks that use a heavy steel plates to pound the ground, causing vibrations that sensors use to chart rock formations -- such as the Marcellus Shale -- deep underground. In some cases, small explosive charges are set off in holes bored about 20 feet deep.
Monroeville modeled its ordinance after similar ones in South Fayette and Oakmont.
The move comes a few months after Huntley and Huntley Energy Exploration, LLC of Monroeville announced it would be using subcontractors to perform seismic testing in parts of Monroeville.
Council also denied a permit request from Geokinetics of Canonsburg, denying use of municipal-owned roads for seismic testing.
As for its oil and gas ordinance, Monroeville solicitor Robert Wratcher said, “We do have an ordinance that regulates oil and gas drilling,” but he said that ordinance is from “circa 2007” when the state regulated that gas drilling was to be permitted as a conditional use in all zoning districts.
Mr. Wratcher said that they are working on changing the ordinance and adopting a new one. In the meantime he proposed that council advertise an amendment to its current oil and gas ordinance that would eliminate oil and gas as a conditional use in all zoning districts except for the M2-Industrial district until a new ordinance can be passed.
Council is expected to vote on the amendment at its October 10 meeting.
Deana Carpenter, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
First Published: September 15, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
