Buckeye Brine taking waste from East Palestine meets opposition - Coshocton Tribune

Buckeye Brine taking waste from East Palestine meets opposition

Coshocton residents to Buckeye Brine and East Palestine: We are not a dumping ground
Leonard L. Hayhurst

- Buckeye Brine on Aug. 31 announced it will be receiving non-hazardous waste from Norfolk Southern related to the train derailment in East Palestine.
- Local officials have express their opposition. A public meeting was held recently by Coshocton Environmental Community Awareness on the matter with more than 200 in attendance.
- Discussed at the meetings were peaceful protests and forming committees to focus on media attention, local monitoring and legislative education.
- While Law Director Bob Skelton didn't believe an injunction was possible, the mayor and commissioners are continuing to contact government officials and agencies on the matter.

COSHOCTON − Local officials have expressed their displeasure in Buckeye Brine accepting non-hazardous materials from the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine. Now, several residents have joined the protest.

Coshocton Environmental and Community Awareness recently held a public meeting at the Coshocton County Career Center. More than 200 where in attendance. What was known about the project was discussed and how people can express their opinions to elected officials on the state and federal level and governmental agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency.

Coming out of the meeting were plans for protests demonstrations in front of the facility and forming of committees to focus on gathering media attention, local monitoring and legislative education. Mayor Mark Mills, Law Director Bob Skelton and Commissioner Dan Shryock also spoke on what they have done and are doing regarding the matter. Running the meeting were Nick Teti and Tim Kettler of CECA.

What has happened?

On Aug. 31 Buckeye Brine announced it would soon start receiving liquid from the Feb. 3 train disaster for injection into the ground at its facility at 23986 Airport Road. The water received will be treated to ensure vinyl chloride levels meet drinking water standards of less than .002 parts per million. Each batch will be tested by a certified laboratory with results reviewed and approved by Norfolk Southern and the Ohio and U.S. EPAs before being released for disposal.

Susie Mobley Patterson, manager of Buckeye Brine, issued an email dispelling myths they've been hearing and seeing on social media about the waste received. She reiterated the materials are not hazardous per EPA guidelines and are not infecting the drinking water supply and water wells. Per the Ohio EPA, what Buckeye Brine would receive from East Palestine is less contaminated than much of the wastewater being discharged into rivers and streams across the U.S.

"Norfolk Southern along with the EPA has determined that underground injection is one of the best ways to dispose of this wastewater and Buckeye Brine has the permitted, best suited and closest Class I non-hazardous wells for this purpose," the email stated. "Injection wells are in areas that are geologically suited for this purpose. Most waste disposal facilities don’t have these location constraints. Wastes generated in Coshocton such as household and commercial garbage, medical waste and industrial non-hazardous and hazardous waste are currently being sent to counties and states outside of Coshocton."

The same day as the announcement, Coshocton County Commissioners and the City of Coshocton issued press releases objecting to the agreement. Both entities said they would be reaching out to state and federal elected officials for assistance and consult with the Ohio and federal EPAs on the matter.

Additionally, commissioners have consulted with Coshocton County Prosecutor Ben Hall and the city with Law Director Bob Skelton on anything that could be done legally to block the waste materials being transported locally and injected.

Injunction not likely

Resident Allan Haussman spoke from the crowd at the CECA meeting and shared a letter he wrote to Gov. Mike DeWine to express his concerns on the situation. He also asked about the possibility of filing a temporary injunction to stop materials from being received.

Skelton said that was explored by he and Hall and he doesn't believe they have an angle there. He said in order to get an injunction a lawsuit would need filed and a judge convinced that they have a legitimate chance of shutting the facility down or succeeding in the lawsuit.

"The fact of the matter is, this is regulated by the State of Ohio and the EPA says it's fine. There's no way I would be able to or the county prosecutor be able to file a lawsuit to try and shut this down," Skelton said. "There's only one group that can shut it down and that's the politicians that control this thing. We need to be on these politicians."

Local officials taking action

Mills said he's talked with Rep. Troy Balderson's office and Anne Vogel, director of the Ohio EPA, among others.

"(Vogel) alluded to 'Mayor Mills, there's nothing you can do. There's nothing your lawyers can do if (Buckeye Brine) is meeting the standard,'" Mill said.

Mills has concerns about the injection site being near the city's aquifer. The City of Coshocton is positioning itself as a regional water authority. It's already providing water to West Lafayette and is working on a deal with Warsaw.

"I don't want connection to East Palestine. I don't want connection with what has happened up there. I don't want Buckeye Brine here," Mills said. "I don't want anything in the ground affecting our drinking water supply long term."

Shryock said he's been working with Mills and has also had phone conversations with state and federal representatives. Shryock was frustrated over the lack of local power in the situation.

"We have no statutory authority to say you cannot do that at Buckeye Brine anymore than if somebody said they were putting a gas station on somebody's property. That is a troubling issue locally," he said.

Kettler encouraged everyone in attendance to bombard state and federal officials with emails, texts and phone calls. They need to get on their radar and stay there.

"Send them 500 texts that we are not a dumping ground. We can do that," Kettler said. "We can call in twice a week to make sure we don't get forgotten because Appalachia always gets forgotten. Appalachia is the sacrifice zone, just look around."

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.