BUTLER TWP — Township residents have begun voicing their opposition to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling, including about 20 people who attended Monday’s commissioners meeting.

Joe McMurry, 103 Windsor Drive, told commissioners he thought the group should examine the township’s current zoning ordinances and then recommend one of the following: to keep the current restrictions as they are, to reduce restrictions or to increase restrictions.

“Whatever the commission would do, I hope the township conducts itself with complete transparency when it comes to this matter,” McMurry said.

Dennis Gaggini, 606 Tudor Drive in the condominium development next to Krendale Golf Course and across Benbrook Road from the Benbrook Medial Center, said he spoke on behalf of the residents of Tudor Drive.

Gaggini told the commissioners that he is not “anti-drilling or an environmentalist,” but he is concerned about how drilling would impact the health of the township’s residents, as well as to the environment.

“We hope you will maintain the current zoning of no drilling in residential areas,” he said. “We are concerned.”

In response to their concerns, the township is forming a Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling commission, made up of residents.

“Several of us have attended Marcellus Shale conventions and meetings, and we’re just not in a position to learn everything there is to know about the drilling, so we want help from our residents, to tell us what it is they want to have happen,” Commissioner Dave Zarnick said.

To that end, the township has been asking for volunteers to present letters to township manager Ed Kirkwood, on why they should be picked to serve and what their interest is, as well as any expertise in the matter.

The deadline for letters is Wednesday.

The commissioners also handed the process of interviewing interested residents to Kirkwood, who will report back with his recommendations at an unspecified date.

Kirkwood said he doesn’t know how many people will be on the commission and the group’s exact role has yet to be defined.

Commissioner Joe Hasychak told Monday’s crowd the township thanked them for their interest and he hoped the new commission would be able to keep residents up to date with all the information available on Marcellus Shale.

“We want an even discussion with both sides telling us about all the pros and cons of drilling,” Hasychak said.

The commissioners next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at the township building.