Trumbull County to address injection well concerns today and Thursday
WARREN, Ohio -
The Trumbull County Engineer on Wednesday will begin discussions over concerns about the growing number of brine injection wells in the county.
Injection wells are used dispose of oil-field brine and other fluids by injecting the liquids into underground geological formations.
Some injection wells have been linked to seismic events. On New Year's Eve 2011, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Youngstown, forcing the shutdown of an injection well.
Tremors were also recorded last September in the area of injection wells in Weathersfield Township.
With the potential for more wells in the future, earthquakes and increased truck traffic are two of the topics the county engineer wants township leaders to discuss, as they investigate potential courses of action to have more control over injection wells moving into their towns.
The meeting with members of the public and township trustees is scheduled for 11 a.m., Wednesday in the Trumbull County Commissioners Hearing Room. A second meeting on injection wells will be held at the commissioner's hearing room at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Among Ohio's 88 counties, Trumbull County is home to the highest number of injection wells with 17 total.
The state's latest reports also indicate that the injection wells in Trumbull are receiving the highest volume of fracking waste water, not only from Ohio, but neighboring states.
The county's proximity to Pennsylvania and nearby highway access, including I-80, are two factors that members of the industry and local leaders believe make the county is a prime location for injection wells.
It's possible that the county's more than 20 townships could develop a set of uniform restrictions and zoning ordinances that would put limitations and require specific conditions for injection wells.
Another strategy could go as far as proposing legislation. Despite any potential action, it's not known if opposition to injection drilling will hold up.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources already reviews construction specifications, engineering, geological data, and issue permits for injection wells.
The Ohio Supreme Court has yet to decide whether townships or cities have the authority to impose zoning ordinances on drillers that go beyond the requirements from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources by restricting them to industrial or commercial areas.
