OH Bill Tightens Regulation of Wastewater Injection Wells

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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