On Tuesday, September 9, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency held a public meeting in Marietta about a proposed Class I waste injection disposal well. DeepRock Disposal Solutions, LLC submitted the application earlier this year. The site would be just below Bramblewood Heights, about a mile south of the company’s current injection well at State Routes 7 and 550.
If approved, this would be the first Class I well in Washington County. The county already has 19 Class II wells, which together take nearly one fifth of all wastewater injected in the entire state of Ohio.
A Packed Room
Over 220 people filled the Marietta High School auditorium for what EPA called a rare, early-stage informational meeting. Three Marietta city councilors, representatives from the Warren Water Association and Warren Township, and dozens of residents stood up to speak. The message was clear. People in Washington County do not want this well.
Why People Are Concerned
Community members came prepared. They brought facts, stories, and years of lived experience.
- Fragile geology: Southeast Ohio’s rock formations are already compromised. Scientists describe them as “holier than Swiss cheese.” Waste migration from other wells has already ruined conventional oil and gas wells, and some producers shared those experiences directly with EPA.
- Failed wells: Seven Class II wells in Athens, Noble, and Washington Counties have failed. Six were shut down by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. ODNR warned in its own Chief’s Order that these wells presented “an imminent danger to the health and safety of the public.”
- Earthquakes: Washington County has seen more seismic activity in recent years. An ODNR-commissioned report confirmed that decades of injection have changed underground stress. Adding new wells could create even more earthquakes.
A Call for More
Two hours was not enough time for 220 people to ask their questions. Residents are asking EPA to hold another meeting. The review process is just beginning, but the public has already raised major concerns about the application.
We Live Here Too
At Buckeye Environmental Network, we want to be clear. We are not outsiders. We have been working on injection well and waste issues in this region for more than 15 years. We are Appalachians who care deeply about the place we call home.
Marietta was recently named the number one small historic town in America by Newsweek. This fight is not about stopping energy production. It is about protecting our land, water, and health from becoming a dumping ground.
Washington County residents are standing up and speaking out. This is a community ready to fight back.
If you want to follow this issue or get involved, connect with us on social media or send us a message through our website.
Watch the Full Public Meeting Here!