A Historic Vote for Clean Water
On October 2, the Marietta City Council passed three major resolutions responding to public concern over injection wells and their threats to drinking water. Among them was a historic resolution asking the state for a three-year moratorium to pause injection well activity within Washington County, Ohio until further study is completed.
Class II waste injection wells have already been found to “migrate” or leak out of intended injection zones in southeast Ohio in recent years. Ohio takes in the lion’s share of the oil and gas waste in the region, and Washington County is ground zero for the waste. There are 19 permitted Class II wells in the county alone.
Why It Matters
The vote came after months of organizing by residents, environmental groups, oil and gas well owners, and local leaders who have filled council chambers again and again. These meetings have drawn hundreds of people from across Washington County and beyond. Parents, workers, business owners, and advocates have stood together around a shared concern: protecting their water.
“I’m happy to see that the city passed the moratorium on injection wells. Hundreds of people came out with concerns about these wells. We know they contain toxic chemicals that can migrate to drinking water and we know they’ve been messing up people’s oil and gas wells. The community was very vocal about that and people came together across party lines to make this happen. There’s more to do, but this is a good first step.” -Jessie Archer, spokesperson for Washington County for Safe Drinking Water.
What’s Next
While this is a major victory, it is also only one step in a much larger fight. Local governments have limited power to regulate oil and gas activity, which means the state still holds the authority to permit and oversee these wells. Residents across the region are now calling on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and state officials to strengthen oversight and prevent contamination before it happens.
The movement for clean water in southeast Ohio continues to grow. Over the past several months, communities from southeast Ohio have been meeting regularly to share information, organize, and support one another in holding both corporations and agencies accountable. The public is paying attention, and that awareness is changing the conversation about environmental justice in rural Ohio.
Buckeye Environmental Network’s Role
Buckeye Environmental Network has been proud to stand alongside these local groups, providing communications support, coordination, and outreach. Together, we are building a statewide movement that puts people and public health before industry profit.
“The past couple of weeks have been a lesson in how local government is supposed to work for the citizens,” said Councilwoman Erin O’Neill… from here on out, Marietta will no longer stand by and allow ourselves to become a dumping ground for other people’s waste.”
“The Marietta resolutions show what is possible,” said Bev Reed, organizer for Buckeye Environmental Network. “When residents organize, show up, and speak out, they can move mountains. Our job now is to make sure this momentum continues to grow and that state agencies do their part to protect southeast Ohio.”
Learn More
This campaign is rapidly growing momentum, and Marietta city officials will be hand delivering the resolution asking for the moratorium to the Governor and legislature as early as this week.
You can view the 3-year moratorium here.
You can stay tuned about what comes next at benohio.org
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About Buckeye Environmental Network
Buckeye Environmental Network (BEN) is a statewide organization that empowers communities to protect air, land, water, and public health from environmental harm. Learn more at benohio.org.