Politics & Government

Rochester Residents Voice Concerns Over Drilling

Residents oppose plans for horizontal drilling beneath Rochester's public land.

While representatives from Jordan Development Company and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) tried to stymie safety concerns over oil and gas drilling in Rochester, many residents didn’t budge Monday in their opposition to drilling beneath about 120 acres of city-owned property.

In a public forum at Monday’s Rochester City Council meeting, Ben Brower from Traverse City-based Jordan Development Company reiterated the company’s plans to drill horizontally beneath Rochester, leasing 120 acres at $150 per acre with a one-sixth royalty rate. 

The plans do not include controversial hydraulic fracturing—or fracking—but instead call for horizontal drilling with no surface activity occurring within city limits.

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While residents opposed to the drilling worked to sway local representatives against the measure, it is likely drilling will happen beneath property in the city after several private property owners leased their mineral rights to the company. Brower said about 100 landowners have signed leases offerings oil and gas drilling rights for about 300 acres in Rochester.

Mark Snow from the MDEQ acknowledged that the only way to eliminate risks associated with gas and oil drilling is to simply not drill a well, he said the MDEQ’s existing rules mitigate the risk of accidents. Snow also trumpeted what he said was a clean track record for both Jordan Development and its partner, West Bay Exploration.

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Residents who spoke out at the hearing were unanimously opposed to the leasing of public land. Marilyn Trent said she is concerned about the city’s waterways and advised saying no for now and waiting until Rochester might need the lease and royalty money.  Tom Dykstra, meanwhile, questioned what would happen if there was an “oh crap moment,” to which Snow replied he has not experienced in the decade he has worked with the state.

While Mayor Stuart Bikson said Rochester is not in significant financial need, Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Cuthbertson summarized the looming decision as a risk-reward proposition and offered that the risk might be miniscule and could prevent tax increases to provide continued premium services throughout the community, and managing the city’s roughly 50 miles of streets, sewers and water lines.

“It costs a significant amount of money to provide the services people want in this community,” Cuthbertson said. “How can we meet the objectives of providing high-quality services?”


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