The fracking waste injection wells campaign in Washington County, Ohio, has made its way to national headlines recently! Chances are you have seen the New York Times article published this summer on the toxic, radioactive waste bubbling up to the surface in Washington County. People have lost heat to their homes. A PhD geologist has stated that the drinking water supplies are threatened. Please take the time to check it out, as well as other media coverage regarding this hot topic in the Columbus Dispatch and this informative op-ed by a local geologist in the Ohio Capitol Journal. After over a year and a half of work, our organization and the local organizing committee, Washington County for Safe Drinking Water has made much progress. The issues even made it to the center of the governor’s race.
Fast forward to current day: a similar potential storm is brewing in Noble County regarding injection wells. The same company that wants to open up the two controversial injection wells near Marietta, DeepRock Disposal Solutions LLC, now wants to re-open the two controversial injection wells that, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) records, have already failed in Noble County. In 2021, these two wells, Warren and Travis, located in Dexter City, leaked toxic brine underground and traveled over 5 miles away and contaminated oil and gas production wells. The waste got into a nearby stream and cost $1.2 million to clean up. Now, 3 years after the wells were suspended, the company wants to re-open them. The Athens Independent did a comprehensive investigative article on this issue. Read about it by clicking HERE.
The Athens Independent article reads in part, “After the division suspended DeepRock’s wells in 2023, DeepRock and the division held “extensive discussions” to address the problems with the wells. According to the chief’s most recent order, those discussions failed to address the division’s concerns.”
DeepRock fought this decision in an informal hearing with the ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management in April, presenting their arguments as to why they believe the injection wells were not to blame for the contaminated oil and gas wells. The division was not convinced, however. Instead of allowing DeepRock to re-open the wells, the chief of the division issued a new order in July, continuing the suspension of DeepRock’s two wells.
Here is the thing, however: DeepRock is now fighting this chief’s order and wants to re-gain operation of the two wells. The company appealed the decision with the Ohio Oil and Gas Commission. We’ve seen this before. The Commission is an appointed state body that hears appeals to the chief’s orders. The industry will attempt every channel it can to keep these injection wells open, even if the wells have deemed to have failed in the past. And the Commission has sided with the injection well companies in appeals of the past, even recently. So it is not outside of the realm of possibility that these wells could re-open soon.
What could this mean for Noble County? Could people start losing the heat to their homes, just like what dozens of people are now facing in Washington County? Could the drinking water become threatened? What damage has already been done? The ODNR has not analyzed the underground geology thoroughly enough in Southeastern Ohio.
Oh, and that’s not all. The company also wants to open up a third injection well at the same site in Dexter City as the two it wants to re-open. So Noble County could ultimately receive hundreds of thousands of additional barrels of this toxic waste into a geological area that has, according to ODNR records, already allowed injection wells to leak this waste over 5 miles away.
What can you do about it?
Number One: You can DONATE to Buckeye Environmental Network. Your donations help us to continue the fight against toxic oil and gas waste being injected into Ohio. Donations will go directly towards things like organizing efforts on the ground, educating the community, and supporting residents in developing the skills needed to protect clean drinking water. The best way to support us is by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Even giving $5/month helps us plan for the future! Right now, we are focused on Washington, Noble, and other parts of Southeastern Ohio. Want us to research wells in other parts of the state? Let us know!
Number Two: JOIN US IN THE FIGHT. We need people like you to help us win. CLICK HERE to fill out a form to learn more about and get directly involved in the work. The more people get involved, the more chances we have of protecting communities. Want to educate elected officials about these concerning injection wells? Want to help get your neighbors involved? Want to write a letter to the editor? Want to help make change happen in Columbus? Fill out the form and we will reach out to you! We could use help in Southeastern Ohio, as well as across the state to research these issues and join in the advocacy work.