Trending
"Under no circumstances will the City of Martins Ferry and local residents be responsible for the cost of cleanup."
Unfortunately, that's a misleading statement from Karina Cheung, spokeswoman for the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, when it comes to just who will cover the cost of cleanup of the Austin Master Services facility in Martins Ferry.
Of course it's going to be the taxpayers -- all the Ohio taxpayers, not just those specifically that live in Martins Ferry. That's how this always works. Government provides little to no oversight, and then when a company such as Austin Master goes off the rails with how it stores hazardous waste from natural gas and oil drilling operations (waste, we remind you, that ODNR allowed to be located just 100 yards from the Ohio River, which is another issue entirely) -- then government steps in with taxpayer dollars to fix the problem.
Yes, as Cheung noted, the cleanup will in part be funded through a bond Austin Master placed when it opened; yes, as Cheung noted, ODNR's Division of Oil & Gas Resources Management will use the oil and gas fund (money that frankly belongs to the taxpayers, not the state) to help remediate the site; yes, as Cheung noted, the state will seek reimbursement from Austin Master itself.
But again, we've seen these types of situations before -- and we know how they work. In the end, it's always the taxpayers that foot the bill. People in Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, Steubenville, Columbus and elsewhere throughout Ohio will pay for the Austin Master cleanup. There's no need to sugarcoat it by saying the cost won't be born by taxpayers.
It is important that this site be remediated; that's not in question. The hazard it poses to the community is real. But what Ohio leaders need to do now is understand how they allowed this to happen.
According to a lawsuit filed by the state, Austin Master was storing waste in unauthorized containers, and allowing it to pool on the facility's floor. It took months of litigation and the company being held in contempt of court for failing to clean up the site for the state to finally step in.
"We will continue to do everything in our power to hold Austin Master Services and their affiliated entities accountable and to continue to protect the health and safety of the community and the environment," Division of Oil & Gas Resources Management Chief Eric Vendel said.
That must be the path forward as taxpayers fund the cleanup of this toxic site.