Hermitage resident Mildred Salance asked city commissioners Wednesday if the gas drilling going on in her neighborhood would affect her well water and continue to make noise all night long.

Mrs. Salance said she lives near a gas well drilling project on Morefield Road, where a tower of perpetual noise and lights had sprung up on Holy Trinity Lutheran Church property. Drilling lasts 24 hours a day, she said.

City Manager Gary Hinkson said the city had received noise and other complaints about local drilling projects.

Hinkson said the city would notify the four gas companies which regularly work in the city that drilling is no longer allowed between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. or on Sundays.

Beyond that, Hinkson said, the city could do nothing to stop the drilling. He advised residents who live 1,000 feet or less from one of the well towers to call the state Department of Environmental Protection if their water becomes discolored or has an odor or if they have any other environmental concerns regarding drilling.

Hinkson said there is no city ordinance that requires drilling companies to consult with the city before a project. Before a drilling project begins, however, the companies are required to notify residents whose water supply is 1,000 feet or less from a well, according to the state Oil and Gas Act.

Drilling generally lasts between five and 10 days, Hinkson said. Then the towers come down and the wells are capped. However, drilling figures to take longer with the shorter daylight hours.

Back to TOP // Herald Local news // Local news headlines // Herald Home page Questions/comments: online@sharon-herald.com For info about advertising on our site or Web-site creation: advertising@sharon-herald.com Copyright ©2000 The Sharon Herald Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction or retransmission in any form is prohibited without our permission. 0001010