Portage County is a prominent location for fracking waste disposal
Portage County is a prominent location for fracking waste disposal
Citizens and officials are concerned
Fracking is a current controversial issue. The process involves injecting large amounts of fracking fluid, a briny mixture of water and other chemicals, deep into the earth. Once the drill reaches the desired location within the shale, the rock is fractured and natural gas is extracted.
[rpavideo caption=”Kyle Heintzelman reports on the dangers and controversy of fracking.”]RPA_Heintzelman_Story1[/rpavideo]
The process has made natural gas more accessible creating a hefty price drop among products relating to natural gas. Some fracking jobs require several million gallons of water and chemicals that are both known and unknown. Chemicals not disclosed to the public are kept safe through Trade Secret.
Geologist Professor David Singer says out of the liquid blasted into the ground a percentage comes back to the surface. The uprooted waste cannot be tossed into a normal landfill. Instead, the waste is injected back into the earth using injection disposal wells.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Portage County has 25 Class II injection wells. These wells are used to dispose of brines and other waste involved with the oil and gas production. Portage County holds 16.6 percent of the waste, more than any other county in Ohio.
Much of this waste is shipped across Ohio’s border from other states such as Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and even Texas. Mark Bruce, spokesman for ODNR said Ohio is not allowed to distinguish where waste comes from. If a company were to refuse waste, it would be breaking Ohio’s Interstate Commerce Laws.
“The underground injection is an established practice and when done properly, it carries a low risk of contaminating drinking water,” Singer said. “I am personally concerned about transportation and storage of these materials and the potential for accidental release into surface environments. These fluids are brines (incredibly salty) and often contain elevated levels of naturally occurring radioactive material like radium.”
Singer says some fracking waste fluids have especially high radioactivity levels and exceed the EPA MCL (Environmental Protection Agency’s Maximum Contaminant Level). Tanker trucks and river barges are known to carry these hazardous brines.
While many share the same concerns as Singer, others are concerned about what these chemicals might do to other aspects of the environment.
“The county is laced with poison,” Mary Greer, a coordinator within Concerned Citizens Ohio, said. “These elements and chemicals they are using are natural but only in their solidified state. Some of these materials are poisonous, especially if they were to be released in the atmosphere.”
Many Portage County citizens are concerned about their property values because of truck traffic, well-water contamination, and many other issues revolving around injection wells. Portage County citizen Mark Brumbaugh says he is worried about his property and his neighbors’ properties as well.
“Most everybody out here has well water,” he said. “Basically, if you have no water coming to the property, the property is worthless. All the money you put into your home, unless you get city water, is worthless.”
Portage County citizens Craig and Karia Lanken are also concerned about their property values. The couple is located on the outskirts of Ravenna and Kent. After living in the city for years they moved to the country to enjoy the solitude and nature.
According to ODNR, Class II injection wells use layers of steel piping and cement to protect aquifers from becoming contaminated. After the waste makes it down the long piping, ODNR says the briny solution is trapped within the rock below.
“Industry says due to our underground rock formations we [Portage County] have the best way to hold this huge amount of poisonous water in place,” George Sosebee, a member of Concerned Citizens Ohio, said. “But what’s happening underneath? Millions of gallons of poisonous water underground–where does it go? Nobody knows.”
“Everyone has the right to clean air, and clean water and clean land,” Greer said. “You have the right to live in a neighbored that is zoned that is nonindustrial.”
It is possible fracking sites or disposal wells could be placed within Kent or even on Kent State University property. Kent State officials have the authority to deny or allow these actions on university property.
Kent City Councilwoman Heidi Shaffer says the state wields a lot of power in these matters. The state has control over who gets what resources, and it is often difficult for local level government to change or affect that.
“I realize it’s very important to our economy,” Shaffer said. “We have some manufactures who are benefiting from fracking, as well as property owners. They’re bringing in resources and providing jobs, but I think we’re selling out. I think were selling our future. We spent the last few decades cleaning up the environment, and now we’re willing to cause great damage again.”
There are currently no official plans to frack on university land.
Relating Links:
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/fracking-practices-blame-ohio-earthquakes-8C11073601