[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Girard 11-22-1983 by Ord. No. 534 (Ch. XV, Part 5, of the 1974 Code
of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
It shall be unlawful for any person to drill a hole into the
surface of the earth to secure natural gas within the Borough of Girard
without first obtaining a permit therefor.
It shall be the duty of the property owner to secure from the
Borough Manager a permit to drill a natural gas well. A permit fee
in such amount as may, from time to time, be set by the Council of
the Borough of Girard by resolution shall be paid to the Borough of
Girard at the time of application. No permit shall be issued until
the property owner has presented the following documents to the Borough
Manager:
A.
State of Pennsylvania permit.
B.
A survey and plot plan made and certified by a surveyor or civil
engineer licensed by the State of Pennsylvania, which plot plan shall
indicate the location of the well site, together with distances indicated
thereon of the well site from any existing structures, structures
on the adjoining property, property lines and right-of-way lines.
C.
The well driller's name and address.
D.
The well driller's certificate that his rotary drilling rig
has a one-and-one-half-inch fire hose connection on the front of the
drilling rig so that a fire hose can be connected to flood the well
in case of fire.
E.
The well driller's certificate of insurance.
F.
The signature of the well driller or his agent that he understands
and will comply with all provisions of this chapter.
No well site shall be closer than:
A.
In areas of the Borough which are not served by public water and
there exists a water well within 700 feet of the gas well site, the
hole from the surface to a depth of 185 feet shall be drilled by a
cable (nonrotary) drilling machine. This requirement shall also apply
to any gas well drilled within 700 feet of the Borough of Girard water
wells.
B.
In areas of the Borough which are served by public water and the
gas well site is at least 700 feet from any water well in an adjacent
unserved area, a rotary drilling machine may be used from the surface
to the depths required.
A.
The well driller shall first construct a hole to bedrock with an
eight-inch steel pipe, then continue to drill through the rock to
a minimum depth of 185 feet.
B.
A six-inch steel casing (11 pounds per lineal foot) shall then be
inserted to the full depth of the drilled hole. The top of the six-inch
casing shall have a six-inch slip-on flange welded to it.
C.
The driller shall then, by a pressure pump, grout with portland cement
and water to seal the six-inch pipe inside the eight-inch pipe.
D.
The driller shall pump the cement to the bottom and continue to pump
until the entire six-inch pipe is encased and cement appears on the
surface.
E.
Drilling may resume not less than 12 hours after completion of grouting.
F.
No well shall be grouted or cemented until the Borough inspector
is present.
When one is drilling with a rotary rig, the discharge pipe must
discharge the air, dirt, rock and gas at least 30 feet from any structure.
The discharge pipe must be of steel and securely attached to the diverter
head.
A fence of at least four feet in height shall be erected and
maintained around the residue (mud) pit until such time as the pit
is completely covered over.
A.
All rotary rigs shall be equipped with a one-and-one-half-inch female
swivel connection of National Fire Department thread, connected into
the main air line, that feeds air to the rotary drill.
B.
In case of fire at the well, the local Fire Department can flood
the well by connecting a fire hose to the swivel connection.
C.
Two twenty-pound Purple K fire extinguishers with a connection to
connect to a one-and-one-half-inch fire line shall also be at the
well site and ready for immediate use.
The well drillers shall carry liability insurance in the amount
of $1,000,000.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter
shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding
commenced by the Borough before a Magisterial District Judge, pay
a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, incurred by the Borough in the enforcement of this
chapter. No judgment shall be imposed until the date of the determination
of the violation by the Magisterial District Judge. If the defendant
neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Borough may enforce
the judgment pursuant to the applicable Rules of Civil Procedure.
Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. Further,
the appropriate officers or agents of the Borough are hereby authorized
to seek equitable relief, including injunction, to enforce compliance
herewith.
