Brine-injection confab at YSU today

YOUNGSTOWN — State legislators are awaiting expert testimony regarding brine-injection wells and their correlation to earthquakes.

"This isn't an us or them issue," said. Rep. Sean O'Brien of Brookfield, D-65th this morning at a special hearing at Youngstown State University. "This affects all of us."

It is suspected that a brine-injection well in Youngstown triggered 11 Mahoning Valley earthquakes.

Brine is a salty, chemical byproduct of fracking. Fracking is the process in which water, chemicals and sand are blasted into rocks thousands of feet below the ground to unlock natural gas and oil.

But some legislators aren't ready to blame the earthquakes on the injection well — at least not yet.

"Our decision should be based on science," said Rep. Tom Letson of Warren, D-64th.

Others remain skeptical of the brine disposal process, which the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has governed since 1983.

"We are not going to be suckers without getting it right," said Rep. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com