Quake Brings Halt to Northeastern Ohio Injection Operation

State regulators in Ohio have suspended operations at two deep injection wells for fracking wastewater in northeast Ohio after discovering possible evidence the operation caused a 2.1-magnitude earthquake.

A spokeswoman said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued a chief’s order to American Water Management Services on Sept. 5 for its Weathersfield site, near Warren. A message seeking comment was left after regular business hours for the company.

Spokeswoman Bethany McCorkle called the quake “relatively minor.” She said the suspension is effective until a full investigation occurs.

The state had proactively placed seismic-monitoring devices in the area under protocols adopted after a series of earthquakes in nearby Youngstown that were later linked to deep injection.

The company had recently received permission to increase pressures at its Weathersfield site.