ADAMS TWP — About 30 people showed up at the Adams Ridge Community Center Wednesday night to hear from the group of Mars parents who oppose the Marcellus Shale gas wells proposed for a farm within a mile of the schools.

Amy Nassif, one of the group’s leaders, said group members gave several presentations based on their contention that the six Rex Energy wells planned for the Bob and Kim Geyer farm on Denny Road would pose a health and safety threat to the students and staff of the five Mars schools along Route 228.

“We wanted to let everyone know what’s going on and why we are continuing this conversation,” Nassif said.

She said many who attended the meeting thought the issue ended when the Mars School Board voted March 11 to reject a lease offered by Rex Energy to drill under district property.

“We explained that this is far from over, and this is why,” Nassif said.

She said one point made at the meeting is that even if the group succeeds in getting a two-mile overlay placed around the schools, the Geyers could sell the gas under their property through horizontal drilling from a surface well outside the overlay.

Asked about the decrease in payments and royalties the Geyers would receive if prevented from having wells on their property, Nassif said the students’ safety comes first.

“Welcome to the United States and local zoning,” Nassif said. “Do you want to put a nuclear power plant there too?”

She said the group also held the meeting to prepare for the township planning commission meeting next week. The last such meeting the group attended in an attempt to present information, Nassif said, was disappointing because the group was only allowed three minutes each to speak as opposed to being placed on the agenda as presenters.

She said the parents’ group felt intimidated by the leaseholders who congregated in the room at the last municipal meeting.

“We feel very threatened,” Nassif said.

Nassif said the group is frustrated with the planning commission members and supervisors because they have not been allowed to present their information, while developers are given unlimited time to speak at both meetings.

“That is so not fair,” Nassif said. “When it comes to (the parent group and overlay issue), and we want to have a conversation, we have three minutes.”

She claimed the community is behind the parent group, which will continue in its attempt to prevent the Geyer wells in the name of student safety.

“We just have been hit from every angle, and we’ve persevered,” Nassif said.

The group also has requested a conference with the state Department of Environmental Protection, which is allowed through Act 13, the state’s gas act. That conference has not yet been scheduled.

Nassif said all the information gathered by the parent group can be found at their new website, www.parentgroup.weebly.com.