OH Bill Tightens Regulation of Wastewater Injection Wells
Ohio State Rep. Jay Goyal introduced legislation yesterday to tighten regulation of injection wells used for disposing Marcellus and Utica Shale wastewater. Key provisions of the bill include:
» Giving local communities more control, including an ability to veto a permit for construction of an injection well if they passed an ordinance or resolution in opposition.
» Requiring increased notice to the public that a company is applying to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for a permit.
» Requiring that a criminal background check be conducted on owners of proposed injection wells.
» Requirements that well operators conduct tests of the waste water to help make communities better aware of the chemicals that could potentially seep into ground and drinking water.
» To prevent earthquakes like the ones near an injection well in Youngstown, Goyal’s bill requires seismological testing to ensure wells will not be built over a fault.
» Pushing companies to recycle fracking waste to reduce the amount for disposal.*
*Mansfield (OH) News Journal (Mar 9, 2012) – Goyal seeks to beef up regulations for fracking waste disposal wells