Youngstown councilwoman seeks ban on injection wells, knowing it’s unenforceable
By DAVID SKOLNICK
skolnick@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
A city councilwoman is sponsoring an ordinance to ban injection wells in Youngstown even though she and other city officials say the proposal is unenforceable.
The bill’s lone sponsor, Councilwoman Janet Tarpley, D-6th, said she hopes council approves the ordinance at its Wednesday meeting. The proposal would ban all new and existing well sites used to dispose of brine wastewater, a byproduct of fracking.
Even if council doesn’t pass the proposal on Wednesday, “it will create a lot of conversation,” she said. “I’m sure they’re going to discuss it.”
Tarpley acknowledges the state and not the city “has the right to oversee” the permitting of injection wells.
The proposal is “not illegal, but it’s unenforceable,” said city Law Director Anthony Farris. “It’s largely a symbolic measure and not enforceable unless the state law changes.”
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.
Comments
Brava Ms. Tarpley! If your colleagues on council are true to their oath of office, the ban would pass unanimously and force the state bureaucrats controlled by the fracking industry to reveal their true identity and allegiance.
so it boils down to a waste of time
Another futile display of a waste of leadership.
Well they are at it why not pass something that balances the budget. Stops the violence in the middle east. I could write a list of a few hundred things if they are playing "If i were king for a day" . But it is nice that all the problems in the city are solved so they can waste time on this. And isnt the 6th ward the "war zone" and the solution is to make unenforceable legislation??
And still the City awaits audit reports for 2010 & 2011 .
I hope they bump a redundant ordnance off the books to make way . There are too many laws as it is .
Drill but don't frack. Drill for oil and gas. Keep our oil and gas here. And no offshore drilling- that's a disaster just waiting to happen. (And continental drift- c'mon what a lie that is.)