Teresa Mills, tmills@benohio.org
Morgan Caplan, Morgan.Caplan@sierraclub.org
Alexandria Trimble, atrimble@earthjustice.org
Columbus, OH - Last night, national and Ohio-based community organizations and environmental groups petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to revoke Ohio Department of Natural Resources' primacy over Class II injection wells. The groups’ petition seeks removal of authority because the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has failed to (1) meet basic requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act that are designed to protect underground sources of drinking water and public health and (2) carry out its environmental justice obligations under federal laws and Executive Orders for Class II disposal wells in the state of Ohio. In doing this, Ohio has failed to protect environmental justice communities located in Ohio’s Appalachian communities and ensure oil and gas operators pay the full price of their waste disposal. Following this filing, legal experts and advocates will discuss the implications of the petition and the urgent need to have regulators protect communities in Ohio. There will be time for Q&A.
When: Thursday, October 13, 2022 from 12-12:45pm EST
Dial-in: 800-274-8461; Passcode: “OHIO”
Who:
- Silverio Caggiano, Retired Youngstown Fire Battalion Chief, HazMat Specialist,
- Lenny Eliason, Athens County Commissioner
- George Banziger, Washington County, Ohio Resident
- Megan Hunter, Senior Attorney, Earthjustice
- James Yskamp, Senior Attorney, Earthjustice
- Shelly Corbin, Campaign Representative, Sierra Club
Ohio is the predominant state for the disposal of oil and gas wastewater in the Appalachian basin, bearing the burden of the vast majority of Class II disposal wells in the region. These wells are disproportionately located in low-income Appalachian communities and harbor dangerous toxins like radioactive materials, PFAS, extremely high levels of salts, benzene, barium, and more.
ODNR regulations do not meet the minimum requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act for addressing risks that could endanger drinking water, enforceability, or public participation. Time and again ODNR has failed on all of these accounts, which has not only led to rash and harmful decision making, but also has also jeopardized the community and the environment.
Yesterday’s petition, filed by the Buckeye Environmental Network, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, and local community groups, aims to ensure that the decision making process over injecting harmful, radioactive liquids that could end up in Ohio’s waterways considers the communities most impacted and our environment.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.