Ohio woman arrested after well protest

Associated Press

ATHENS, Ohio

A southeast Ohio woman has pleaded not guilty to a trespassing charge after chaining herself to the gate of a site handling wastewater from hydraulic fracturing.

Area media outlets report that sheriff’s deputies took 42-year-old Crissa Cummings of Millfield, in Athens County, into custody Thursday. She entered her plea Friday.

Cummings was protesting a K&H Partners injection well site in Torch with the anti-fracking group Appalachia Resist. Her banner read, “12 tons of soil and water contaminated. K&H Not Safe.” Cummings told reporters her actions came after protests through official channels failed.

Appalachia Resist and the Athens County Fracking Action Network have challenged K&H’s latest permit. They anticipate action by the state Oil and Gas Commission this month.

About 150 protested at the same site in February. Eight were arrested.