Environment

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Scientific research confirms that oil & gas development is safe. Athens News, opinion by EID’s Jackie Stewart.

It has been six years since the first Ohio shale gas well went into production (June 14, 2011, in Harrison County, to be exact). Since then, nearly 2,600 Utica Shale wells have been brought into production or are in various stages of development, which has resulted in record-breaking natural gas production in the state and made the Utica one of the hottest shale plays in the country. But what about Ohio’s environment? Based on environmentalists’ claims and the countless alarming headlines we are inundated with, one would certainly think there would be widespread impacts to air and water after six years of fracking in Ohio, right? Not according to the latest scientific studies. Three Ohio-based academic studies have been conducted by the University of Cincinnati over the past six years researching the environmental impact on groundwater and air from natural gas extraction. All three studies have found no evidence that natural gas extraction has led to groundwater contamination or air quality issues in Ohio exceeding U.S. EPA levels of health concern.

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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has approved the first permit to allow high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, in the state of Illinois. The permit was approved Thursday to Woolsey Energy, based in Wichita, Kansas, for a well site just northwest of Enfield. It's been four years since the state first passed a law to regulate fracking but Woolsey is the first company to apply for a permit. Energy companies argue it is safe and will boost the local economy.

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KTRK-ABC reports that many of the Houston metro area's Superfund sites, designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as being among America's most intensely contaminated places, are now flooded. This carries the risk that waters have stirred up dangerous sediment. The Associated Press surveyed seven Superfund sites in and around Houston during the flooding. All had been inundated with water. On Saturday, the EPA said it had reviewed aerial imagery confirming that 13 of the 41 Superfund sites in Texas were flooded by Harvey and were "experiencing possible damage" due to the storm. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, speaking with reporters at a news conference on Saturday, said he wants the EPA "in town to address the situation." Turner said he didn't know about the potential environmental concerns soon enough to discuss them with President Trump. "Now we're turning out attention to that," he said. "It is always a concern. The environment is very concerning, and we'll get right on top of it."