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Public a  no-show  at AK  hearing

Ohio EPA elaborated on the steelmaker’s use of 2 injection wells.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 1:14 AM Thursday, March 4, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — If attendance is a gauge of local residents’ concerns for the injection wells operated by AK Steel Corp., then it must be minimal — none attended the hearing on a new permit.

The hearing, conducted Wednesday, March 3, in Middletown City Council chambers by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, had exactly two people in attendance: Steven Wesloh, a Loveland man who shared no questions or concerns; and Mike Ploetz, an environmental compliance specialist with the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services.

The Ohio EPA did elaborate on AK’s use of its two injection wells at Middletown Works during the informational portion of the event.

In operation since 1969, the wells have been injected with about 580 million gallons of pickling liquor — a residual fluid from cleaning steel products.

In terms of the volume of materials injected into such wells statewide, AK Steel’s operations represent about 10 percent of that total, said Jess Stottsberry, geologist with the Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters.

Over time, AK Steel has reduced the amount of liquids injected into the wells — which are about 60 to 80 percent water and 3 percent hydrochloric acid — but it is still considered a high user of the wells, Stottsberry said.

The pickling liquor is injected into wells about 3,200 feet deep that consist of 580 million-year-old sandstones.

It is believed the waste will stay in the rock formation for a minimum of 10,000 years, according to the Ohio EPA.

A copy of the draft permit can be viewed at the Middletown Public Library. Written comments will be accepted on the permit changes until March 12.

Comments may be submitted to the Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, Attn: UIC Unit Supervisor, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus OH 43216-1049.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.

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Well I can tell you why nobody showed, because property values were not effected. That is why all of us in Monroe are worried about Suncoke. Not me of course because I live on the good side of town away from that plant. By the way did you see the "cankles" on that Lisa Frye ladies picture on mainstreetmonroe? Ouch!

Another Dead Husband
9:56 PM, 3/4/2010

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Dawg it was listed on here starting tuesday evening

Eric
10:32 AM, 3/4/2010

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Funny how the Journal reports on this after the fact.....where was the article stating that this meeting was even going to take place? How about some pro-active journalism? Nobody was there because nobody knew about it. Way to go "urnal".

Dawg Dan
8:20 AM, 3/4/2010

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Ha, Da, and Huh - kind of says it all.

R U Kidding
7:47 AM, 3/4/2010

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Look it up. Google: D-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y

please-help-me
7:41 AM, 3/4/2010

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