Friday, July 18, 2008

Fort Worth’s “Gas Drilling Task Force” recommends new noise provisions in gas drilling ordinance

By Pegasus News wire

By Flickr member Malingering

Yes, living on top of a ginormous gas well does have its drawbacks. My heart weeps.

After weeks of study and consideration, an 18-member task force appointed by City Council earlier this year to review Fort Worth’s gas drilling ordinance has recommended additional noise provisions.

The task force, comprising community members, business leaders and industry representatives, outlined changes that include the requirement of a noise management plan, tougher standards for noise levels and stricter compliance.

Their recommendations are part of a comprehensive review that includes other issues such as setbacks, air pollution, water supply and environmental impacts. It also is studying new industry technology and how the current regulation of gas wells coincides with the city’s overall comprehensive plan for development.

The task force also is conducting public hearings where residents can voice their concerns and suggestions. The next one is scheduled for Aug. 11.

All task force recommendations eventually will be formally presented to the City Council, which will decide if any changes should be made to the gas well drilling ordinance.

Here are the details of the task force’s noise recommendations.

Noise Management Plan

A noise management plan has been suggested as a new requirement prior to the issuance of a gas well permit. It would detail how the equipment would be used in well drilling, completion, transportation or production. In addition, the plan would have to comply with the permissible noise levels already detailed in the ordinance, and would need approval by the gas inspector.

The plan must identify how noisy gas well operations would be and provide ways to minimize the noise. Consideration of specific site characteristics, such as the nature and proximity of adjacent development; seasonal and prevailing weather patterns, including wind direction; vegetative cover on or adjacent to the site; and topography, will be used to determine noise mitigation.

In addition, the noise management plan also must provide documentation establishing the ambient noise level prior to construction of any wellhead, compressor or compression facility. Ambient noise is the level or composite of sounds from all sources at a given location.

Noise Levels

Other proposed revisions to the ordinance’s noise section include more restrictive noise levels for well drilling and equipment operations. Suggestions include decreasing the number of decibels gas well activity can exceed the ambient noise level for the area at night and the distance from which it is measured. A recommendation also has been made to better establish the ambient noise level surrounding a proposed gas well drilling site. Gas well permit applicants would be required to conduct noise level readings during a continuous 72-hour period that includes a Saturday or a Sunday to determine the area’s ambient noise level. The task force recommends that if a noise complaint is received from property between 600 and 1,000 feet from the gas well site, noise level readings must be taken by the operator within 24 hours for at least three days. The ordinance as it stands requires continuous noise level monitoring within 600 feet.

In addition, regulation of pure tones – high-frequency, sharp, piercing tones like back-up beepers, and low-frequency outdoor noise levels — deep bass tones, like what you feel when a radio has the bass turned up, have been suggested for inclusion in the ordinance.

Compliance

Stricter compliance measures recommended by the task force include immediate citations for violations of any part of the gas drilling ordinance. However, if the gas well operator is in compliance with the approved noise management plan and a violation still occurs, the operator will be given 24 hours from notice of noncompliance to correct the violation before a citation is issued. The recommendation stipulates that additional 24-hour extensions may be granted if the source of the violation cannot be identified after reasonable diligence by the operator. Citations carry a penalty of up to $2,000 for each day that a violation exists.

Source: The City of Fort Worth

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• Environmental Issues > Barnett Shale