COLUMBUS -- Ohio's top law enforcer is advocating increased environmental sanctions on polluters in the oil and gas industry and required disclosures of the chemicals used in the drilling technique called fracking that would be among the toughest in the nation.
In a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press, Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine called for hiking civil penalties to $10,000 per day from the current maximum of $20,000 per incident. That would bring fines in line with states such as Pennsylvania, Colorado and Texas.
Requiring up-front information from drillers on the contents of any fluids blasted underground during fracking, formally known as hydraulic fracturing, also is in line with states including Colorado and Michigan, according to a staff review conducted by DeWine's office. He said he would like to see disclosure of both chemicals used and in what concentrations, not only out of environmental concern but also to help emergency workers dispatched to drilling sites.
Lancaster Eagle Gazette
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