Some environmentalists are asking the federal Environmental Protection Agency to do a full audit and investigation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the state agency that grants permits for injection and extraction wells. Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio says the state agency is not doing due diligence in regulating those wells in Ohio.
Basically there is a lack of confidence among the public in allowing an agency to investigate itself," says Rothenberg. "And there’s a very simple concept here which is to have the U.S. EPA have some oversight over the state ODNR to make sure it is really doing what it needs to do."
Rothenberg says recent state and federal investigations show citations have been issued to companies that continue to receive permits from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.