Ohio environmentalists, Dems protest fracking

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Almost 200 people opposed to a new method of drilling for natural resources have greeted returning state lawmakers with a Statehouse protest.

No Frack Ohio on Tuesday called on legislators to ban on what's called fracking, a process that blasts pressurized water, sand and chemicals underground to release gas and oil reserves. The group also wants a ban on deep injection wells that hold drilling wastewater.

Gov. John Kasich halted wastewater injection at five Youngstown area wells after 11 earthquakes hit the area. However, he says he doesn't want concerns over wastewater disposal to hinder the Ohio jobs promised by shale drilling.

State natural resources officials note dozens of similar injection wells have operated around Ohio for decades without problems. They plan to attend a community forum Wednesday in Youngstown.

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