Athens County residents concerned about injection wells may get the public hearing they were denied if commissioners can convince the state to adopt new legislation.
Sen. Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville and the Athens County Commissioners are in the beginning stages of drafting legislation that would require the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to hold a public hearing if one is requested by a public body, such as a group of concerned citizens, Gentile said.
He added that the legislation would be drafted and finalized by the County Commissioner’s Association of Ohio, a legislative service entity in Columbus.
When several requests from citizens, and a formal request from the county commissioner’s for a public hearing regarding injection well permits in Athens County were denied by the ODNR, the commissioners decided to try to get a bill introduced in the 130th Ohio General Assembly, said Commissioner Charlie Adkins.
“Both (the citizens and the commissioners) got a (generic) letter from the chief of the ODNR that they were not willing to (hold a public hearing),” Adkins said.
Under the current law, the ODNR is under no obligation to hold a public hearing, even if an official body requests one, Gentile said.
“It’s clear that they don’t care about Southeastern Ohio and the wishes of the people, so we have asked the County Commissioners Association to have some legislative changes in the law,” Adkins said.
Gentile said that this is a reasonable request, adding that the commissioners are interested in responding to the interests of their constituents.
“It’s always good to have dialogue and give people the opportunity to express their concerns and also for the state and the (injection well permit) applicant to have their side of the issue brought out as well,” Gentile said.
Al Blazevicius, former chair of the ªAthens County Strategic Advisory Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing said that he is proud of the commissioners and Sen. Gentile for taking the steps to get legislation passed that would require public hearings.
“I feel that the ODNR has not given sufficient recognition and attention to the issue,” Blazevicius said. “I think it’s really, really important to have something passed that gives the public a proper venue where their concerns can be properly heard and properly addressed by the ODNR.”
Gentile said that he and the commissioners would continue to work on this issue in order to move this legislation forward.
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