FRANKLIN TWP — An amended zoning ordinance to regulate oil and gas operations was presented at the township supervisors meeting Monday night. It will be voted on next month.

The township municipal building was filled with more than 50 residents. A few of them supported drilling, but most opposed it.

The township’s first natural drilling site will be on James Cratty’s 90-acre property on Election House Road.

The amended ordinance was presented because the current zoning ordinance doesn’t have any language regarding oil and gas operations. The 10-page document handed out at the meeting defines natural gas terms, lays out permitted and conditional uses in certain areas, and lists acreage requirements and operational hours.

For instance, an oil and gas well site needs to be on at least 10 acres, and hours of operation must be between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.

The board did withdraw language that would have allowed drilling in a rural-residential zone. The withdrawal came on the suggestion of Supervisor Robert Thompson, who said he could not support the proposal with that language in it.

The proposal does include the right to drill in the seasonal residential district and agricultural-residential district.

Some in the audience specifically had concerns about water being contaminated at Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park because of the drilling activity.

“Moraine State Park is one of the best fishing spots in the United States. The park was ranked 15th on the top 100 family-friendly fishing places that was compiled by the Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation,” said Gene Scobel of Prospect.

“Why then, would we want to jeopardize the water quality in one of the top fishing and boating waters in the United States by allowing drainage from the Marcellus Shale operation to enter Lake Arthur?”

He and his wife, Gerry Scobel, proposed moving the drilling site farther from the lake so it doesn’t affect drainage and so it’s farther from residents.

However, Bill Stein said drilling won’t change anything.

“Tramped all these woods. Fished this lake. Fished all the streams around here. I don’t see a problem with the natural gas coming in,” Stein said, who’s been a county resident all his life.

He said the papers he’s read against drilling don’t prove anything to him.

“I don’t see the words ‘shall’ or ‘must.’ I see ‘if’ and ‘but,’” he said.

Later in the meeting, Stein also proposed the supervisors consider a drilling tax so the community can reap some of the financial benefits.

Meanwhile, resident Connie Fleeger passed out a document to supervisors from the New York State Department of Health dated May 29 and read sections of it to the crowd.

“This has to do with New York State, which has a moratorium on unconventional natural gas drilling … This letter is trying to extend the moratorium for another three to five years,” she said.

She cited the lack of scientific and medical knowledge of long-term drilling, the threat of contaminated water and other risks for their reasoning.

“What’s ironic to me is while the New York State Department of Health is trying to extend a moratorium on drilling, you guys are rewriting the zoning to welcome it?” Fleeger said. “Do you know how stupid that makes Pennsylvania look?”

Others, like Paul Mcgregor, made their point of view simple, loud and clear.

“I got three words: Drill, baby, drill,” he said.

The supervisors will vote on the amended ordinance at their 6 p.m. July 14 meeting.