FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20. 2025
Contact: Bev Reed, Buckeye Environmental Network
Email: bev.reed@benohio.org
Phone: (740) 298-5471
Residents of Warren Township and Marietta were joined yesterday by State Rep Tristan Rader to discuss concerns about injection wells and to visit two conventional gas and oil wells impacted by brine wastewater migration from injection wells in the area. Residents and members of the local water authority are concerned that a recently permitted injection well will compound the problem and threaten drinking water supplies.
Rader, who serves on the Ohio House Natural Resources Committee, took an interest in the community after two owners spoke at a recent hearing on HB170, a bill that would establish regulations for CO2 injection wells. Rader traveled to Southeastern Ohio to learn more about community impacts from Class II injection wells, which are used to inject fracking wastewater underground.
The meeting, organized by Warren Water and Sewer Association and Buckeye Environmental Network, was attended by impacted community members, Warren Water Board Members, Warren Township Trustees, and conventional oil and gas well owners. Residents discussed their experiences with brine wastewater migration impacting their gas and oil wells. Brine wastewater, a toxic mixture of chemicals, heavy metals, salt, and radioactivity, has been found to travel as far as 5 miles from injection well sites. Impacted residents have been raising concerns about potential migration of brine waste to ODNR for months and some have gone on to submit formal complaints.
“Rather than halting any further injection well permitting and investigating the migration issue, the ODNR has permitted DeepRock Disposal Solutions to drill and operate an additional Class II injection well. There are already 17 injection wells in Washington County – more than any other county in Ohio. We’ve been calling Ohio the toxic toilet of the Midwest,” said Roxanne Groff, an advisory board member with Buckeye Environmental Network and former Athens County Commissioner.
DeepRock already has 5 injection wells in the vicinity of drinking water wells used by the Warren Water Association and the City of Marietta. The company has recently begun accepting the brine waste via rail car, and the additional injection well plans to accept wastewater via barge from the Ohio River. Advocates with Buckeye Environmental Network also pointed out that ODNR is using the old rules that predate the injection well’s public notice, rather than the new rules, which include more protections.
“If I were Kevin Ritter (the Ohio House member who represents the district), I would be embarrassed that a representative from a different area came here to listen to us. He was invited today, but has been non-responsive to our community.” -Steve Hutchinson, Warren Water and Sewer Association Board Member.
“There’s obviously a gigantic problem here and it’s not being adequately addressed by the state legislature so we’ve got to start working on that. In the immediate term, we have to put the brakes on this CCS stuff because it’s just going to compound these problems.” Rep Rader said he plans to take what he learned from the issues in Washington County to the Ohio statehouse for a floor speech regarding HB170, the Carbon Capture and Storage bill.
Both Class II waste injection wells and Class VI CO2 injection wells are regulated under the U.S. EPA’s Underground Injection Control program but Ohio regulators currently have permitting authority over Class II wells. In 2022, Buckeye Environmental Network and other organizations called on the U.S. EPA to revoke the state’s authority over Class II wells, citing “the longstanding nature and seriousness of the deficiencies in Ohio’s program”. Ohio officials are currently seeking the authority to similarly permit Class VI wells but the state’s track record with the Class II well program raises questions about their ability to adequately regulate CO2 injection wells, which are newer and much more complex than Class II wells.
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Tristan Rader and Bob Wilson, conventional oil and gas well owner, discussing the contamination of his wells from class II injection well brine wastewater
Bob Wilson, conventional oil and gas well owner demonstrates for Rep Rader and others the brine wastewater from Class II injection wells nearby that has migrated to his well and rendered it useless. Brine is not supposed to migrate to these wells, according to the Ohio Dept of Natural Resources.
Additional resources including pictures and videos can be found at this link.