Frackfree
Mahoning Valley
News
Release
For
Immediate Release: January 30, 2012
Contact:
Susie Beiersdorfer: Phone: 234-201-0402 or E-mail: frackfreemahoning [at ]gmail.com
YOUNGSTOWN,
OHIO GROUP TO DISCUSS MAN-MADE EARTHQUAKES, FRACKING, AND BRINE TOXIC WASTE
INJECTION WELLS
Youngstown,
Ohio - On Thursday, February 2, 2012, a group of concerned Youngstown citizens
and panelists will hold an open public town hall style informational meeting to
discuss and answer audience questions about the recent 4.0 magnitude Youngstown
area earthquake, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) associated with shale gas
drilling, and brine toxic waste injection wells. The meeting will take place at
The First Unitarian Universalist Church of
Youngstown, Channing Hall, at 6-8 pm at 1105 Elm St. (Elm & Illinois), Youngstown,
Ohio. Media and the general
public are invited to attend.
Geology
Professor Ray Beiersdorfer, Ph.D., spoke to WYTV news (1/1/12) regarding the
Youngstown earthquakes and the nearby injection well’s effect of reactivating an
ancient fault: “What happens is the water acts as a lubricant so they were
pumping water down at about 9,000 feet, and it was working its way down in and
it wound up serving as a lubricant, which then reduced the friction and we had
the earthquakes.“
Dr.
Beiersdorfer will be a panelist at the February 2nd town hall as will
Ohio State Representative Robert Hagan, Liberty Township Trustee Jodi Stoyak,
and a citizen affected by water contamination. Geologist Susie Beiersdorfer will
moderate the meeting.
The
situation in the Youngstown area has attracted extensive national and local
media attention and with good reason. The December 31, 2011 earthquake shook
Youngstown and was reportedly felt in several states and as far away as Ontario,
Canada. The earthquake may have awakened many more citizens to the serious
health and safety issues reported by those living near fracking and injection
wells and reports of drinking water source contamination. Youngstown had no recorded earthquakes
before the injection well drilling. There have been twelve earthquakes since
drilling began. What the Youngstown area decides to do regarding a moratorium on
injection wells or fracking has far reaching implications for the entire region
and the nation.
Questions
to be addressed at the town hall meeting include:
What
is the scientific information linking the Youngstown earthquakes and the toxic
brine injection well? What is the evidence showing that the Youngstown
earthquake was man-made? Will there be more earthquakes?
How
does lack of local control affect infrastructure, property values, and emergency
safeguards?
To
date, public meetings in Youngstown regarding natural
gas drilling and fracking, wastewater injection wells and the earthquakes
have generally not allowed the audience and concerned citizens to freely
voice their health and safety concerns and engage in dialogue about their
issues. This town hall is designed to let the people speak and get some answers
to their questions.
Residents
from all regions are encouraged to attend.
For
town hall meeting details or updates, see the Facebook event page
at:
See
the Frackfree Mahoning Valley website at:
For
media inquiries or more information, e-mail:
frackfreemahoning@gmail.com
