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Trumbull official seeks balance
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith says he’s trying to achieve a balance between the rights of residents and the wishes of companies about to begin drilling for gas and oil.
At a meeting Wednesday involving several gas and oil representatives and dozens of township trustees and other government officials, it appeared that such a balance was taking shape.
Smith called the meeting to share the research he gathered regarding the experiences of other nearby counties and to talk about the regulations he is proposing to protect the county’s roads, bridges and culverts from damage.
Representatives from BP, Chesapeake and CNX also attended to listen to the proposals, respond to them and answer questions.
Smith reported that Carroll County, population 28,836, has the most horizontal wells using hydraulic fracturing in the area so far — about 50 in various stages — and that the Carroll County engineer’s office has been “satisfied” overall with the work of oil and gas operators.
Carroll County officials receive five to six calls per day regarding truckers using nondesignated routes. Most of those are not trucks working for Chesapeake, the biggest driller working in Carroll County, but for “local haulers” using shortcuts, Smith said.
Another complaint has been regarding the dust resulting from the truck traffic, Smith said.
In every case, the drillers in Carroll County have performed “proactive” work on the roads such as paving and widening so the county has not required the drillers to take out a performance bond, Smith said.
Smith is proposing that well-drillers in Trumbull County take out a $100,000 bond if preparing the road in advance and $350,000 if the company declines to improve the road in advance.
Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson reported a “100 percent good experience” with the 24 wells so far and many more on the way. Columbiana County, population 112,075, has no bond requirement, but each company has submitted plans in advance of its work.
Trucks have caused problems with berms and driveway approaches in Columbiana County, but the biggest concern has been with dust control on graveled roads, according to the research.
Jefferson County, population 73,894, with seven wells now and 30 more by the end of the year, reported that the gas and oil companies “have been great to work with.” The biggest issue has been with truck traffic straying off of designated roads.
Smith said a Road Use Maintenance Agreement reached with CONSOL Energy/CNX Gas Corp. of Pittsburgh for the county’s first horizontal well on Warren-Sharon Road, across from the Wollam Farm in Vienna Township, designates the roads the company will use.
Smith hopes all Trumbull County drillers will sign a RUMA, though state law doesn’t require them to.
Smith explained a plan he hopes to put into place within the next 60 to 90 days to hire a RUMA coordinator to oversee the road preparation and maintenance issues associated with the drilling.
The county engineer’s office would pay half of the $89,707 annual cost with the 25 townships dividing up the rest equally.
When asked for an informal show of hands regarding the proposal, a large percentage said they were in favor.
The three company representatives also supported it, saying dealing with just one official would make communications more efficient.
Smith said it will be several months before the position can be filled, but he and his staff already are spending an extraordinary amount of time on RUMA issues.