LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio - Liberty Township resident Karen O'Malia has lived next to a neighbor's vertical gas well for a year and says it was noisy and smelly when it went in.
Now, she says she'd favor a ban on drilling in the township. "I'm not totally opposed to oil and gas drilling, but I really believe that we need to make certain that we know what we're doing before we go wholesale into the oil and gas drilling," O'Malia said.
Her neighbor, and owner of that well, Dr. Pat DiTommaso says the well has provided gas to the community without incident. He opposes any ban on drilling
"I think that would be detrimental," said Dr. DiTommaso. "I think property owners should have a right to decide whether or not they want to have wells on their property. We pay enough in taxes."
After eleven earthquakes centered around a brine injection well in Youngstown, Liberty trustees are looking into banning drilling in the township.
"Wherever there's people living, I don't think it has a place in a residential area," said Liberty Trustee Jodi Stoyak.
But that requires challenging Ohio law that leaves regulating the oil and gas drilling up to the state.
"As of right now, they control everything. They tell us your hands are tied," said Liberty Zoning Inspector Jim Rodway.
But because Liberty is a home rule township, they have more statutory power and hope that could make a moratorium stick.
"Whether it's going to have any impact on the ability to control gas and oil, we don't know," Rodway said.
At a township meeting on Monday, January 9th, trustees will decide whether or not to have their law director investigate their legal standing and draft a proposal on banning drilling in Liberty.
