As draft legislation to regulate horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in West Virginia is making progress in committee, WV SORO takes up dispute with one particular amendment that has not been proposed yet: the buffer between a home and a well pad.   As the draft legislation stands, a rig could be set up 200 feet (or less, possibly) from a private structure, including a home.  Julie Archer of WV SORO says this is unacceptable, and wants the buffer to be at least 1,000 feet.  While this distance may protect inhabitants’ safety, it still doesn’t protect property value.

The most common complaint of those living in close proximity to a rig is the light and noise, but accidents, explosions, and air pollution are also concerns.  Pro-Publica published an article late last week covering the lack of comprehensive studies to track air quality and health complications from persons living in close proximity to shale gas operations.