Patriot Water reopens for business after ruling against OEPA

WARREN

A ruling today by the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission will allow Patriot Water Treatment, shut down since April 1, to reopen for business.

The commission ruled against the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which prohibited the city of Warren from accepting any wastewater from Patriot, which treats lower-salt-content water generated from fracking. The water treated by Patriot was discharged to Warren’s treatment facility.

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

Andrew Blocksom, Patriot’s president, said the company was “grateful” that the commission “took the time to really evaluate all of the evidence and the applicable law. We have always known that we have the truth on our side and that, eventually, someone would take the time to hear us out.”

For the complete story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com