Washington County the Target Now –Who’s Next?

By Ron Prosek

May 29, 2026

I interviewed with a BEN (Buckeye Environmental Network) activist in Washington County a couple days ago, and I got a pretty good update on what is going on there. If you live in that part of the state, you may already know what's going on, but many of us in other parts of the state might have only a general impression of the injection well situation there.  But it is important to pay close attention to events in Washington County because what the oil/gas industry is doing there may come to my county or to your county in the not-so-distant future.

The Washington activist explained to me that not much fracking is occurring there.  Instead, the industry has reserved another kind of hell for Washingtonians.  It's known as the Class VI wastewater injection well, of which there are scores in Washington County. In fact, this county has the largest number of injection wells of any county in the state of Ohio.

What's happening as a result of all this toxic fluid injection into the ground is that much of it is being forced up into conventional gas wells--and beyond into streams, lakes, and farmland.

A lot of bad news, of course.  But there is also some good news in the response of the locals. They are meeting repeatedly in large numbers.  Hundreds are organizing. Hundreds! This in a region where people are mostly used to minding their own business no matter what.  But the communities are waking up AS COMMUNITIES. They are banding together to fight the common threat, and they are finding that in unity there is strength!

BEN is playing an important role in helping to lead the organizing efforts. Also, BEN is involved in litigation over the mismanagement by ODNR in using outdated regulations with respect to two Class II injection wells that are proposed for a location that is only two miles from a major aquifer in the region.

Kudos to the courageous and determined folks in Washington County, and we all thank BEN for its leadership.  FaCT has pledged to do anything we can to support BEN and the folks in Washington County.  FaCT intends to spread the information about Class II injection wells in Washington County, beginning with our faith communities, because tomorrow a similar situation may arise in your county or my county.