Drilling Bill Overturns Local Laws

Many communities are scrambling to learn how will impact their own local zoning ordinances and what they’ll have to do to conform with the pending law.

The 174-page House bill prompted confusion on whether recent zoning laws passed by Collier, South Fayette and townships would need to be tweaked or thrown in the trash. Some were resigned to the changes while others vowed to push back in areas where they think state lawmakers overstepped their bounds.

“It’s not a surprise to us that the overall decision is a statewide decision. I think we need to adjust to what the lawmakers decided what we do," Collier Township Manager Sal Sirabella said, adding they have 120 days to comply. "It’s something we’ve anticipated and followed over the past year.”

One of the biggest changes is the setback distances from structures, which the state moved to 500 feet. But some communities had already pushed that buffer back farther from schools and hospitals.

to push drilling at least 1,000 feet from any school property line after Chartiers Valley School District administrators lobbied for it to be up to 4,000 feet away. The drilling now can happen a little more than a football field’s length from any structure.

officials said they are still reviewing the legislation and declined to comment.

But South Fayette seemed defiant after passing a strict zoning ordinance that pushed drilling thousands of feet away from schools and limited it to certain zones. The ordinance effectively banned drilling in the township and .

Jonathan Kamin, who is South Fayette’s lawyer, said he is reviewing the legislation and formulating a plan for township officials.  

“The legislation is filled with internal conflicts,” Kamin said. “It not only conflicts with itself but (state) Supreme Court decisions.”

He questioned how the state could crush zoning rules that were historically given to townships and boroughs to regulate.

“There are some things that are in the legislation that are very big concerns to me,” Kamin said. “There are no rights to challenge a (state) departmental permit, so I think there are interesting things there.”

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