Ohio's Fracking Wastewater Problem | Mike Chadsey and Roxanne Groff

Hydraulic fracturing produces large volumes of wastewater, much of which must be disposed of by injecting it into deep, underground disposal wells.Over the past decade, Ohio has become a major center for the underground storage of fracking wastewater from the state’s own fracking operations, as well as from operations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.Storing fracking wastewater brings with it many risks, including the possibility that injected wastewater could seep from storage wells and contaminate private property and community groundwater aquifers. Indeed, we have seen seepage occurring around the country, including in Marietta, OH, where Bob Wilson contends his oil wells were ruined by seeping fracking wastewater. Mr. Wilson is suing the owners of the nearby wastewater storage wells, while the Marietta community remains concerned that the wastewater could also seep into their drinking water.In this discussion, we bring in experts on both sides of the issue — Roxanne Grof, who has been fighting gas and oil industry abuses for decades, and Mike Chadsey of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association.We’ll examine how the disposal system works, what the science says about the risks, the experiences of those who have seen fracking wastewater contaminate their property, and how the state of Ohio oversees these operations.____________________________________ABOUT ROXANNE GROFFAfter graduating from Ohio University in 1972, Roxanne decided to make Athens County her home. In 1978 she became a founding member of Save Our Rural Environment (S.O.R.E.), a grassroots group protesting the permitting of strip mines in eastern Athens County. Her interest in state law and in the lack of implementation of rules by regulatory agencies led her to run for public office, first for Township Trustee, then for the County Commissioner, a position she then held for 12 years. Believing that people must have a voice in decisions made about protecting our environment, Roxanne has participated in many campaigns to raise communities’ awareness to challenge abuses by industry that affect the health and wellbeing of citizens. Most recently, Roxanne has been working with Athens County Fracking Action Network (ACFAN) to oppose permitting toxic radioactive injection wells in Ohio and the sale of mineral parcels on public lands, especially Ohio’s Wayne National Forest.ABOUT MIKE CHADSEYMike Chadsey serves as Director of External Affairs for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. In that capacity over the last 12 years, he has led OOGA’s engagement with the media and continues the Association’s great work of creating and building relationships with local elected, community, and business leaders throughout the state. Immediately prior to joining OOGA, Mike served two years as the first state director of Energy In Depth-Ohio (EID), a grassroots advocacy, research and education initiative organized in support of responsible oil and gas development. Mike has served in a variety of roles over the last 20 years at both the local and state level, working for various campaigns and office holders. He was first elected by the voters of Summit County as a Board member of the Summit County Educational Service Center, formally known as the Summit County Board of Education, in 2017 and re-elected in 2021.He is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He lives with his wife, Jean Anne, and their daughter Madeline and son Matthew in Northeast Ohio.