Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE Work on two saltwater injection wells by Omni Energy Co. in East Richland will proceed after a conflict with the Ohio Department of Transportation was resolved.
The project faced stiff local opposition since the announcement in December that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources had approved the permit. Area officials and residents expressed concern about the proximity of homes, county buildings, Belmont County Correctional Institution and educational centers, as well as expected heavy truck traffic that would accompany such a project.
Omni officials said all studies were completed and state inspectors are on site monitoring operations. Drilling of the first well is underway, according to Stephanie O’Grady, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The company is scheduled to complete cementing of that shaft this week.
Supreme Court of Ohio Construeâs Stateâs Saltwater Injection Well Permitting Scheme
USA
December 10 2020
In a recent mandamus action, the Supreme Court of Ohio had the opportunity to construe Ohio’s saltwater injection well permitting scheme. See
State ex rel. Omni Energy Group, L.L.C. v. Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, Div. of Oil & Gas Resources Mgt., Slip Opinion No. 2020-Ohio-5581. In
Omni, the Court discussed whether (1) the Division of Oil & Gas Resources Management had the right to call a public meeting concerning Omni’s permit application, (2) Omni had a right to compel the Division to rule on the validity of objections received to its permit application, and (3) the Division could schedule a hearing on those objections after a certain statutory deadline expired. You can read the Court’s decision here.