Illegal dumping reported in Belmont County

Ohio Department of Natural Resources said this week that Harch Environmental Resources has stopped operating in Ohio "after evidence was found that the company was illegally disposing of oil field waste in Ohio."  The company had contracted with Gulfport Energy Corporation to dispose of the oil field waste that was found to be illegally dumped in St. Clairsville following an anonymous tip, the agency said in a release, "indicating that Gulfport Energy Corporation failed to meet its responsibility to monitor oil field waste from inception to injection."  ODNR said it's consulting with the AG's office on any potential civil or criminal penalties both against the two firms.  "We will pursue and punish any company that chooses to violate or ignore ODNR's core mission to protect Ohioans and the environment," agency Director James Zehringer said. "Ohio's laws provide some of the most comprehensive safeguards to public health in the country, and when those regulations are broken, ODNR will take all necessary steps to hold violators accountable."