Bedford OKs gas, oil drilling

 

By Calvin Jefferson
Correspondent

March 23, 2006

BEDFORD —  Residents could soon reap substantial benefits of oil and gas drilling, but they may pay a price in peace and quiet.

City Council Monday approved a lease agreement with Bass Energy, Inc. of Akron to drill for oil and gas from two city properties —  land at City Hall and at the city-owned landfill inside Walton Hills.

Drilling should begin in April or May, City Law Director Ken Schuman said. Bass Energy's next step is to survey, test and prepare the land.

Schuman said that although the first six days of drilling "are going to be extremely noisy," it will be worth that aggravation.

"The benefits to the city are substantial and pretty significant," he said. "When all is said and done, it's not going to be a great inconvenience."

"We're going to ask residents in the immediate area to bear with us. But after the initial drilling, the inconvenience will be very minor."

The agreement between Bedford and Bass Energy stipulates that the city will receive, among other things, 12.5 percent of all revenues from the drilling, and reduced rates on natural gas for City Hall.