TERRE HAUTE —
More testing for possible oil and gas reserves is set to take place in Terre Haute.
On Monday, the Board of Public Works and Safety granted permission for seismic testing on the city’s north side at points along Fort Harrison Road and along Lafayette Avenue and North 25th Street north of Maple Avenue.
Pioneer Oil, an Illinois-based company, sought the permission from the board, whose members are appointed by the mayor. The four board members present granted permission unanimously at the 2 p.m. Board of Works meeting in City Hall.
Seismic testing allows engineers to determine whether favorable conditions exist underground for oil and gas reserves, said Rick Shagley, a Terre Haute attorney who represented Pioneer Oil at the meeting.
In August, the board gave its permission for seismic testing for possible oil and gas drilling on property owned by Indiana State University. That testing is set to begin after homecoming celebrations the first weekend in October.
Seismic testing sends vibrations underground that allow engineers to draw conclusions about possible underground resources, Shagley said.
Also Monday, the board approved two $200,000 contracts for environmental testing around the city.
The testing is being paid for by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Board members awarded one contract to BCA Consultants of Indianapolis to check for hazardous substances. The other contract was awarded to ATC Consultants of Kentucky to check properties with possible petroleum contamination, such as the former Toney Petroleum site near the ISU campus.
The environmental testing will help lay the groundwork for an eventual extension of the city’s hiking and biking trail system from Fairbanks Park south to near Interstate-70, said Pat Martin, city planner.
Not all sites to be tested have been identified, Martin said. However, in addition to the Toney Petroleum site, testing will also take place at the Maple Avenue Nature Park and on city-owned property on the east bank of the Wabash River south of the former Wabash Environmental Technologies location on Indiana 63.
Testing could start within a month and will take about one year to complete, Martin said.
Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at 812-231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
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