FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBUS, OH, JULY 10, 2026
On Friday morning, Buckeye Environmental Network learned from a member of the news media that ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management has finally intervened in the injection well crisis brewing in Washington County, Ohio.
A statement by Andy Chow, Chief of Communications at the division, in an email shared with a member of the media read:
On July 1 and 2, the owners of the wells agreed to voluntarily cease operations after the division notified them that their class II injection wells were suspected to be causing impacts to other nearby wells that produce oil and gas.
The four class II disposal injection wells are:
- Redbird No. 4, API# 34-167-2-9767-00-00
- Redbird No. 5, API# 34-167-2-9768-00-00
- American Growers No. 1, API# 34-167-2-9766-00-00
- Nichols No. 1-A, API# 34-167-2-3862-00-00
After a year and a half of persistent leadership and organizing efforts by Buckeye Environmental Network (BEN) and the unprecedented solidarity and advocacy efforts from the city of Marietta, a group of water authorities and political entities in the county, Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, the local oil and gas producers who have been impacted by injection wells, Earthjustice law firm, and others, the efforts are paying off. This announcement comes at the heels of a press conference organized by BEN this past week where community advocates, experts in geology, oil and gas producers, and a state representative all called on ODNR to do its job.
Many unanswered questions remain for ODNR.
“ODNR must be transparent about these concerns and address the questions that the community has raised,’ said Bev Reed, Appalachian Ohio Oil and Gas Waste Organizer for Buckeye Environmental Network.
Buckeye Environmental Network will release a more comprehensive press release on Monday.
Due to the voluntary nature of the shutdown, it is unclear whether the owners will re-open the wells. The American Growers #1 well voluntarily ceased injection in 2020 and drilled into a deeper formation. The Redbird well similarly voluntarily closed in 2020 and drilled into a deeper formation. Despite these interventions, the issues have persisted six years later. The press is encouraged to ask the same questions that residents will continue to ask the division:
1. Will there be Chief’s Order Suspension Orders for the 4 wells that have voluntarily ceased operations?
2. Do the companies plan to file a plan to continue operations, or can the companies appeal?
3. When did ODNR first suspect these 4 injection wells began causing impacts to other nearby wells that produce oil and gas? (timeframe?)
4. There have been various conventional wells that have shown signs of impacts from nearby injection wells for multiple years. Why did ODNR not suspend operations at the injection wells sooner?
5. The history of “unprecedented migration of brine” has already been established by ODNR. The Redbird #4 well in Washington County, the Warren and Travis Wells in Noble County, the K&H wells and the Reliable Resources Wells in Athens County have all been documented to have impacted oil and gas wells from miles away. Is ODNR planning to do a comprehensive investigation of the brine migration and potential impacts to drinking water sources in Washington County? If not, why not?
###
Contact Information
Buckeye Environmental Network
info@benohio.org
www.benohio.org