County leaders discuss injection well laws, want local control
Friday, May 22, 2015
On May 20, leaders from seven Ohio counties, including Mahoning, Trumbull, Portage, Morrow and Athens, met to discuss legal control of injection wells. WFMJ reports that the leaders shared ideas of how to acquire local control of injection wells.
Opinions about injection wells varied at the meeting. Some Athens County leaders want future injection well leases to be suspended until a decision is reached about legal control of them. On Trumbull County commissioner stated that injection wells aren’t welcomed by the community.
Leaders shared ideas for modifying the current injection well laws, including placing a limit on the location of injection wells near schools and limiting operating hours.
At the end of April, injection wells operated by Kleese Development Associates were shut down in Trumbull County by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources due to unacceptable levels of pressure. The wells were permitted to resume operation once the pressure levels dropped.
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.