Recommendations concerning horizontal hydraulic fracturing and injection well operations in Athens County will be sent to the state level commissioner’s association after being approved by the Athens County Commissioner’s at their meeting Tuesday.
Al Blazevicius, chair of the Athens County Strategic Advisory Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing, presented a final set of recommendations to the commissioners, who accepted the committee’s suggestions and will send the report to the County Commissioner’s Association of Ohio.
Athens County Commissioner Mark Sullivan was absent during the meeting.
The state level commissioner’s association lobbies at the state level where most of the recommendations will need legislation passed, said Commissioner Larry Payne.
Blazevicius said the most imminent issue for Athens County is injection well waste disposal, particularly waste coming from out-of-state drilling operations.
The recommendations include putting a tax on injection well waste disposal that would benefit the local economy, Blazevicius said.
“In order to mitigate the influx of out of state waste disposal, we need to develop a state level bill for out of state waste,” he said.
He added that he has been in contact with Ohio Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-92nd, about drafting a bill regarding the taxing of out of state waste.
Although the Athens County Strategic Advisory Committee will no longer hold monthly meetings, Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason said the group could be resurrected at any time if the need arises.
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