Ohio quakes could incite fracking policy shift

[OhioChick]

Posted: 7:16 PM

By: Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - In Ohio, geographically and politically positioned to become a leading importer of wastewater from gas drilling, environmentalists and lawmakers opposed to the technique known as fracking are seizing on a series of small earthquakes as a signal to proceed with caution.

Earthquakes caused by the injection of wastewater that's a byproduct of high-pressure hydraulic fracture drilling, aren't new. Yet earthquakes have a special ability to grab public attention.

That's especially true after Saturday's quake near Youngstown, at magnitude 4.0 strong enough to be felt across hundreds of square miles. Gov. John Kasich, a drilling proponent, has shut down the wastewater well on which the quake has been blamed, along with others in the area, as the seismic activity is reviewed.

"Drilling's very important for our economy and to help us progress as a state, but every single person in the Mahoning Valley felt this earthquake," said state Sen. Joe Schiavoni, a Youngstown Democrat who on Tuesday called for a public hearing.

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/state/ohio-quakes-could-incite-fracking-policy-shift

[scuzati]

1. The poisonous drinking water was not enough

only earthquakes were sufficient to "grab public attention" and raise the possibility that being the leading importer wastewater is not a good idea after all.

[limpyhobbler]

2. I'm sure John Kasich's family can afford to buy bottled water from out of state.

So it really isn't an issue

[Fearless]

3. Bingo!

[sarcasmo]

4. It better incite a policy shift.