OFU President Joe Logan said that the Board of Directors of the Ohio Farmers Union has issued a  call for a moratorium on new Class II injection wells in Ohio.

Logan said the policy position emanated from members with farms in northeast Ohio and has gained traction as several county commissioners, township trustees and municipalities have entertained public forums and resolutions on issues with these wells.

“Many of us who live and work our farms near Class II wells are truly concerned about spills and accidents that have occurred and the fact that many of these wells are older infrastructure being put back into use due to increased fracking in Eastern Ohio and neighboring states,” Logan said.

“Eastern Ohio has become a dumping ground for fracking waste from surrounding states and we don’t believe the state’s inspection and public health and safety infrastructure and staffing has kept up with events in Eastern Ohio. The public would be better served by not allowing any further development of Class II sites for frack waste until Ohio establishes a program mandating air and water quality monitoring around injection wells along with a reporting requirement for disposed material” Logan said.

Logan said that Class I disposal well regulations, overseen by Ohio EPA, are more robust therefore creating an environment where accidents creating groundwater and soil pollution are less likely.

“We propose any new disposal wells intended for waste from horizontal hydrofracturing should meet Class I standards,” Logan said.