January 30, 2012

Youngstown Town Hall Informational Meeting on Fracking and Injection Wells

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

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