Ohio lawmakers are taking aim at what’s being poured on the state’s roads. A new bill targets “brine,” oil and gas wastewater, often used to control dust or melt ice.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources tests found that some of the brine is laced with radioactive materials and heavy metals that exceed safe levels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges that the materials can be contaminated with known carcinogens.
The state of Ohio and the federal government have identified the substances as problematic for use.
H3: Not just salty water
The Ohio House Natural Resources Committee recently met to discuss a bill to ban the use of oil and gas brine as a road de-icer or dust suppressant.
Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, and Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, are behind the legislation.
Brennan told committee members that oil and liquid used on Ohio roadways are not just salty water. He said it is toxic waste.
“No Ohioan should have to wonder whether the ‘salt truck’ driving down their street is spreading toxic, radioactive waste in the name of winter safety or keeping down the dust,” Brennan said.
He said the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Turnpike Commission recognized the risks and stopped using oil and gas brine several years ago.
But some municipalities and local governments, often unknowingly, continue to apply these products on their roads.
Brennan added that there are better options available to do the job.
“We already have safe, effective alternatives like beet-based de-icing products that are biodegradable, non-toxic, and even open the door for new agricultural opportunities here at home,” he said.
House Bill 439
HB439 would prohibit the surface application of oil and gas liquid waste on state roads and highways.
Violators would face civil and criminal penalties.
“HB439 simply ensures consistency across the state,” Brennan testified.
Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, added that neighboring Michigan and Pennsylvania already prohibit the toxic waste byproducts.
“This bill is not a ban on responsible oil and gas production but a targeted measure to ensure that waste byproducts from that industry are not disposed of under the guise of road treatment,” Rader said.
The committee did not vote on the bill. LL
More Land Line coverage of Ohio news is available.
Credit: Source link
