Seismic Testing, Use of Dynamite Approved on Highland Township Property
Large booms that were reported in the Highland area for several months were determined to be caused by a company doing seismic testing using dynamite.
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Residents who reported hearing loud booms all over Highland for the last several months may soon hear a lot more.
The Highland Township Board of Trustees approved the request of West Bay Geophysical to conduct seismic testing for gas and oil with the use of dynamite in the township park off Hickory Ridge Road where the soccer fields are located.
The approval is conditional upon the company providing the township with a copy of the insurance certificate and its agreement to notify the fire department and area residents of days and times testing would be conducted.
It was determined last month that the booms residents heard were from the company, which has been working in the area along land belonging to Oakland County.
The request was originally brought before the board during last month's meeting, but members decided to table it because they did not have enough information.
Highland Supervisor Rick Hamill said that the testing was not about actual drilling, but about finding if there are any resources there and that no fracking would occur.
According to Hamill, if oil was discovered, the township owns 25 percent of the property's mineral rights while the state owns the other 75 percent. This is because either state funds or grant monies were used to purchase the park property and as a byproduct, the state took 75 percent of the mineral rights.
Hamill said that the company would be using dynamite on the property, but the damage would be minimal because the small charges are bored deep into the ground.
"It doesn't create a huge crater," he said.
Township Trustee Mary Pat Chynoweth said she had environmental concerns and spoke with a company representative.
"They've done this in a lot of other parks," she said. "It made me feel better that other parks are allowing this and its not doing damage to them."
Marjorie Findley
11:19 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Now we know --- Seismic testing, including dynamite, has been used in Highland beginning Nov.2012 (see The Patch article) when complaints of explosions were expressed by residents, near Duck Lk Rd and Wardlow, who contacted the police. This occurred without public notice; wasted police services; disturbed the peace; and occurred within proximity to White Lake and wetlands. Next target: Hickory Ridge Rd near Clyde "soccer field". Is this acceptable? Most say 'no'. Is it legal? Possibly, but the only way to know is by understanding the governing laws and contract agreement. If oil or gas is found, Highland --- and any private individuals involved --- should obtain knowledgable legal counsel to understand and negotiate the contract. It doesn't matter what "they say": it's what is written, that matters.
Laura Vogel
11:46 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
I agree that this is frustrating in that apparently "they" knew the explosions were going to be happening, yet "they" neglected to inform the local police (sheriff) so that precious detective time wouldn't be wasted trying to investigate that which apparently needed no investigating. I can understand why "they" didn't want to e.g. leaflet the neighborhoods, because Heaven forbid that the taxpaying citizens be informed about what "they" authorized to be done under your noses lest you outcry in protest.
Bob
10:47 am on Monday, March 18, 2013
Hi Laura, Who are you refering to as "they"?
Marjorie Findley
1:22 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
On Monday night, Waterford approved oil drilling. On 2/11/13, West Bloomfield Twp extended their MORATORIUM on drilling and hydraulic fracturing for another year.
What will Highland and White Lake townships do ?
Oakland County hit the jackpot with Jim Nash as Water Resources Commissioner, however; his office does not have the power to stop drilling or fracking, nor should residents wait for his future town hall meetings, to be come educated. Learn the facts prior, so you can participate.
See various sources, such as; March issue 'NationalGeographic', banmichiganfracking.org; the Sierra Club, fwwatch.org (Food and Water Watch), don'tfrackmichigan, ProtectOurPlanet, to name a few. ("Fracknation" is pro-fracking; "Gasland" and "the Sky is Pink" show the truth).
The Michigan DNR has auctioned off oil and gas leasing rights on thousands of acres of land --- much of it at $10 per acre--- which can be seen on the DNR website, including those parcels within Oakland County ( if you zoom in on the map). At one 'auction' alone on 10/24/12, 196,000 acres were included, although private citizen attendees said there was no bidding involved and oil companies appeared to have pre-assigned acreage agreements (ie; it was fixed).
Gerry Szumiak
2:25 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Disappointing that Highland would allow this for a mere 25% of the take. How much money will that actually generate and is it worth the potential risk?
Unbelievable that Waterford approved drilling despite huge turnouts at their meetings and "Shouts of “Shame on you” rang throughout Waterford Township Hall as the contract passed with a 5-2 vote." (Oakland Press)
Here in White Lake we already have two wells operating in Indian Springs Metro park.
Chuck Dittmar
5:58 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The approval of the seismic testing on the Twp property is for just that - testing. No agreement has been reviewed or discussed or approved by the Twp Board for drilling or extraction of natural resources. The testing approval was conditional, as noted in the story above, on confirming insurance coverage and on ensuring prior notification of the neighbors and the public safety officials in advance of any dynamite use in the park.
As for future drilling and the Twp percentage, that discussion is a little premature pending the outcome of the testing. Again, nothing has been discussed or approved in that regard. Speaking for myself, I am willing to let the company test to see what is present under the property. However, a much more involved discussion will have to occur if a request is made to extract resources from Twp owned property.
Gerry Szumiak
9:36 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Thank you trustee Dittmar for clarifying.
I am curious why you think that the state would relinquish all or part part of its 75% of the property's mineral rights in this case?
Also I am wondering if the township is somehow legally obligated to allow drilling due to the fact they accepted state monies to purchase the park in the first place...
Chuck Dittmar
8:09 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Mr. Szumiak:
I apologize for the confusion. I did not mean to say that I (or the Twp) thought we might get the State to relinquish part of the mineral rights. I was merely referencing that any discussion of resource extraction will be a much more involved discussion and to me is not related - at this time - to the percentage of mineral rights the Twp owns. The 2 items may get mixed together should the request for drilling/extraction be made, but that remains to be seen. Your point about investigating if the Twp would be legally obligated to let exploration/removal occur if the state wanted it to happen is a good one, and one that actually came up yesterday in a discussion I was having with the Supervisor, which will be looked into.
Marjorie Findley
2:24 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Chuck,
What is the approximate date for seismic testing? And how will the results be made available to the public ? eg; Township board meeting
Thanks
Gerry Szumiak
2:18 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I am told Mr Dittmar that typical royalty payments are 1/8 of the value of the minerals extracted which would mean Highland Township will receive 25% of 1/8 or just a little over 3% of any monies generated. Why you would not consider potential revenues first and foremost is a mystery to me.
I am pretty sure that West Bay Geophysical is carrying some form of insurance and you are wise to ask about that but according to The Patch and Mr Hamill the company has not provided prior notification of the neighbors and the public safety officials in advance of any dynamite use in the park:
http://whitelake.patch.com/articles/seismic-testing-dynamite-the-cause-of-mysterious-booms-in-highland
http://whitelake.patch.com/articles/highland-residents-report-hearing-loud-explosions.
According to the articles these explosions occurred between 8:30 and 9 pm and resulted in wasted police resources and frightened neighbors.
Since West Bay Geophysical did not abide by the rules in their initial testing what makes you think they will during further testings and what does that tell you about a company when it detonates dynamite at 9 pm without telling anyone?
It tells me they just don't care...
Bob
3:34 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Gerry, No offence but apparently you were not at the township meeting when this was discussed. I say this because if you had been there you would already have answers to all the questions you bring up here.