ODNR - Oil and Gas - agency release

Rep. Bob Hagan, an outspoken critic of the oil and gas industry, recently called on authorities to prosecute the owner of a company that allegedly dumped up to 50,000 gallons of fracking wastewater into a storm drain.  In a letter to Youngstown City Prosecutor Dana Lantz, Rep. Hagan noted that Ben Lupo, owner of Hard Rock Excavating, has signed a Notice of Violation, confirming that he directed his employees to dump the waste down a drain, which leads to a tributary of the Mahoning River.
Meanwhile, Ohio Shale Coalition issued a statement praising the state's action against Mr. Lupo, which included revoking his permits.   "The rapid and decisive action by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to revoke all permits held by the alleged offender, and by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to pursue criminal sanctions, proves that these agencies have the alertness, the expertise and the manpower to protect Ohioans and to interdict this kind of behavior," the coalition said.  "ODNR's response also demonstrates that the aggressive regulatory scheme put in place by the Kasich Administration and Ohio legislators, includes the protections and authority necessary to ensure that Ohioans realize the full economic benefit of shale gas and in a safe and environmentally responsible manner."