Murrysville council voted unanimously yesterday to support state Sen. Jim Ferlo's June 11 request to the state Senate for a year-long moratorium on new Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania.

Adding to the resolution is a letter crafted to the state legislature by Murrysville Mayor Bob Brooks that asks lawmakers to do what they can in protecting the rights of residents living in communities affected by the drilling.

"We need some time to figure out where we are at," said the mayor. "We need to figure out who are the drillers that are legitimate and are reliable versus those that are wildcat in nature."

The mayor added municipalities such as Murrysville should produce resolutions that will protect water resources, roads and real estate that will be affected when drilling begins.

Councilman Dennis Pavlik added he has major concerns regarding water usage during the drilling process.

"I want to know how the waste water is being handled and treated," he said. "That is a major, major issue in my mind."

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.