Ohio Judge Adds $28M in Fines Against Austin Master Services
One of the significant stories of 2024 in the Ohio Utica was about Austin Master Services (AMS), a radiological waste management solutions company in Martins Ferry, Ohio, that processes and transports fracking waste for disposal. AMS ran into trouble when it ran out of money. The Martins Ferry facility in Belmont County, where waste is temporarily stored, had vastly exceeded its permitted limit of 600 tons (storing over 10,000 tons), resulting in a permit violation. The Ohio Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against the company in March 2024 to compel compliance and require the company to clean up the facility. After the company didn't perform, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) stepped in to handle the cleanup (see Austin Master Services Ohio Frack Waste Cleanup Complete Today). The AG’s office sued for $6 million to cover the cost of cleanup, and last November, a Belmont County court ruled in favor of the state (see Ohio Judge Rules Against Austin Master Services for $6.2 Million). The judge has just issued a second ruling imposing a $ 10,000-per-day fine for the time the facility was out of compliance. It adds up to another $28+ million.To view this content, log into your member account. (Not a member? Join Today!)