A Youngstown-area wastewater injection well at the center of a dispute over Ohio's authority to regulate oil-and-gas operations will remain closed during litigation by judge's order. Judge Kimberly Cocroft denied a request to allow the Weathersfield Township well to resume short-term operations while its legal appeal proceeds. Arguments are scheduled Novenber 1. Well operator American Water Management Services disputes the legal authority of the oil-and-gas chief at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The company also claims state actions against its well -which disposes of fracking wastewater - defy science. At least 20 small seismic events occurred near the well in 2014. State regulators believe they tapped the same fault as a 4.0-magnitude quake in Youngstown in 2011.
NE Ohio Injection Well Operation To Stay Halted Amid Litigation
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/aaf3e7b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/466x290+0+0/resize/880x548!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwcbe%2Ffiles%2F201609%2Fwell.jpg)
wfmj.com