Ohio Gov. and ODNR sued for permitting fracking waste disposal
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register reports that environmental groups are suing Ohio Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for allowing radioactive natural gas fracking waste to be dumped at sites across the state.
The groups claim that ODNR authorized the use of 23 sites where fracking waste could be dumped. ODNR issued permits to some companies to handle and dump fracking waste.
The groups heading up the lawsuit fear that disposal of the waste will create air pollution and be detrimental to public health. Exposure to radioactive elements like radium and uranium can have adverse effects on people’s bodies.
In West Virginia, a new law requires landfill operators that accept drill cuttings to monitor the radiation emitted from the waste this year. Landfills that accept drill cuttings have to obtain a special permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Via: The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register > ODNR Sued for Radioactivity at Dump Sites
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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.