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Despite the lack of attendance from Ohio’s legislators and regulators, the conference sponsored by FreshWater Accountability Project brought information and empowerment to those attending. The few elected and public health officials who attended are greatly appreciated and will be remembered. Those who did not attend will be sent the following information so that no one who has a position of public responsibility and accountability will be able to say that he or she did not know about the harms and the future liability that will be imposed upon the taxpayers of Ohio when the extent of the environmental and economic destruction of fracking becomes fully known:

As the unconventional shale gas drilling (fracking) industry continues to expand in Ohio with what critics call inadequate regulation, directly impacted communities are seeking answers and assistance from legislators and regulators to protect their communities. To further those efforts, the FreshWater Accountability Project (FWAP) sponsored a conference on Tuesday, May 17, at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium to urge Ohio legislators and regulators to learn the from several expert presenters the environmental and public health impacts of its rapid deployment, infrastructure buildout and waste stream disposal

An important one-day conference for legislators, regulators, and the public to learn about environmental and health impacts from unconventional shale drilling and what can be done to protect communities and Ohio’s economic and environmental future.

As the horizontal hydrofracking industry continues to operate without adequate regulation, the waste produced is a big problem for the industry for which Ohio has provided a cheap solution. Ohio not only allows waste from in-state fracking operations to be disposed of without traceability, monitoring and adequate regulation, it also is accepting waste from other states. Recently, plans were approved to allow the barge shipment of frack waste on the Ohio River, meaning frack waste could potentially come to Ohio from Texas and other states who find it easier and cheaper to send it to Ohio than dispose of it themselves.