Forest Hills Council Moves Forward with Fracking Ban

A movement to ban natural gas drilling in gained traction at council's regular meeting Wednesday.

Council members spoke in favor of a ban on drilling for natural gas in the borough and voted unanimously to authorize the borough manager to advertise an ordinance, which could come to a vote as early as next month.

“Everybody’s definitely behind it,” Council President Frank Porco said after the meeting. “I think we owe it to the community and to future generations.”

One concern Porco raised was whether the ordinance would hold up in court if challenged. He said council will discuss adopting additional zoning ordinances that could make the ban more “fail-safe.”

The movement to ban natural gas drilling and, in particular, fracking—a process in which drillers inject a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into a well at high pressure to fracture rock and release natural gas—has attracted local followers.

Debate has increased as companies have become more interested in drilling in the Marcellus Shale, a sedimentary rock formation that contains untapped natural gas and stretches across much of the state and into New York.

Generally, advocates for drilling bans say fracking releases harmful chemicals into ground water, jeopardizing public health and wildlife. Proponents of natural gas drilling say these concerns are exaggerated and instead point to the economic benefits that could result from drilling.

As of yet, no natural gas drilling has occurred in Forest Hills.

Elizabeth Donohoe, a Forest Hills resident who has worked with MarcellusProtest.org, at a meeting on July 20. Wednesday evening, Donohoe and a handful of like-minded advocates spoke.

“Fracking is fundamentally tampering with the web of life,” Donohoe said. “As long as there is gas, they will try to get it.”

Donohoe also said she has collected roughly 275 signatures of residents who support a ban and expects to gain more with further petitioning.

Speaking against those who hold the view that individual property owners should have the say in matters of drilling, resident Joshua Zorich argued for a communal perspective.

“It would be wonderful if every action we took as individuals effected us only in our exclusive spheres,” Zorich said. “But that’s not always the case.”

According to Porco, council has little reason to believe that drillers are eager to tap Forest Hills land at the moment. Even so, he said, passing a ban soon could prevent attempts to drill in the future, when resources may be depleted elsewhere.

Council also approved an with Chalfant Borough.

The decision extends a previous agreement by which Chalfant pays Forest Hills for police services. The new agreement includes a 10 percent increase in payment for 2012 at $44,817, with a roughly four percent increase in both 2013 and 2014.

Additionally, council appointed Donald Branzel as the borough’s code inspector.