A formal petition was filed Tuesday with a complaint that the state of Ohio has been breaking a federal law regarding citizen protection for more than 10 years.
Teresa Mills from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice filed a formal petition with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, claiming that the State of Ohio is in violation of the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
The law establishes requirements for federal, state and local governments, Indian tribes, and industry for emergency planning and "Community Right-to-Know" reporting relating to hazardous and toxic chemicals and chemical spills, according to a press release from the Athens County Fracking Action Network, which supports the petition.
In 2001, House Bill 94 was passed followed by a change to the Ohio Revised Code that exempted the oil and gas industry to the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, according to the petition.
“By exempting this industry from the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Ohio legislators have enabled information about hazardous chemicals to be withheld not only from emergency planners, firefighters and HAZMAT teams, but also from doctors, nurses and EMTs,” said Heather Cantino, member of the Athens County Fracking Action Network, in the release.
Mills is requesting that the U.S. EPA publish throughout Ohio and write a formal statement to state officials that the current Ohio Revised Code is in violation of federal law and the oil and gas industry is not exempt from said law. In addition, the petition calls for action by the U.S. EPA to enforce the federal law in Ohio within 30 days of the formal statement.
The Buckeye Forest Council is in full support of the petition, said Cheryl Johncox, executive director of the Council, in the release. She added that this is not a partisan issue, but a citizen safety issue.
“(The state government) must be held accountable for serving corporate oil and gas interests at the expense of Ohioans’ health and welfare,” Cantino said in the release.
ls114509@ohiou.edu
