EID-O's Shawn Bennett discusses the shortcomings of NRDC's recent blog post "New Ohio Fracking Waste Underground Injection Rules Still Second Class":

"The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has its sights set on Ohio, but it continues to drop the ball when it comes to demonstrating even a passing knowledge of Ohio’s oil and gas regulatory system.  The latest example: NRDC’s recent blog post entitled “New Ohio Fracking Waste Underground Injection Rules Still Second Class,” which features commentary from an NRDC lawyer that completely misses the mark with respect to the regulations that govern wastewater disposal and management across our state.

While calling Ohio’s Class II well injection program “second class” might make for a good quip, it shows the author has very little understanding of UIC regulations and therefore simply can’t comprehend what some of the most stringent regulations in the nation look like.

Before digging into NRDC’s claim some simple background is needed.  The classification of Underground Injection Control (UIC) parameters are set by the U.S. EPA.  The classifications have been in place since the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974.  Currently there are 172,068 Class II UIC wells in the United States and they are considered the preferred and environmentally safe method for disposal of oilfield fluid wastes. Ohio gained primacy of its UIC program from the U.S. EPA in 1983 and since the passage of HB 501 in 1985, Class II wells are the only method of disposal for brine and produced waters.

In gaining this primacy, Ohio has made its rules more stringent then those set by the federal government. For example, federal regulations require one well inspection each year and a demonstration of mechanical integrity at least once every five years.

Ohio on the other hand has unannounced inspections every 11–12 weeks and continuous mechanical integrity monitoring or monthly mini-tests to demonstrate continuous mechanical integrity to ensure proper well functionality. In addition,  all new wells in Ohio are required to be continuously monitored and will include an automatic shut-off device set to terminate operations if the permitted maximum allowable surface injection pressure is exceeded.

That means that injection wells in Ohio exceed U.S. EPA standards, are inspected at least four times a year, are monitored 24 hours a day, and can be shut off by operators, or regulators, at a moments notice.  To most objective observers none of this sound “second class.”

These regulations make certain that disposal wells are functioning properly at all times and the continuous monitoring will give the operator and the state able warning to correct any issues that could occur.

Of course, Ohio’s regulations go above and beyond inspection and monitoring.  At a recent disposal well visit, David Hill described the environmental protections required by regulations to ensure groundwater is protected from well operations."

READ THE REST, WATCH VIDEO OF EXPLANATION: http://www.eidohio.org/out_of_its_depth_on_ohio_injection_wells/