What happens when oil and gas waste is exempt from hazardous-waste regulation—but may still meet the definition of a hazardous material when it is transported through our communities?

In this episode of Exposure, we sit down with Megan Hunter, Senior Attorney at Earthjustice, for a wide-ranging conversation about oil and gas waste, radioactive materials, injection wells, environmental enforcement, and the role communities can play in holding industry and regulators accountable.

Megan explains an important distinction at the center of recent work with Truckers Movement for Justice: the federal hazardous-waste exemption for certain oil and gas wastes does not necessarily mean those materials are exempt from Department of Transportation hazardous-material requirements.

We also examine growing concerns surrounding Class II injection wells and the underground disposal of oil and gas wastewater. Megan discusses documented migration concerns, increasing pressure around disposal wells, actions taken by Ohio regulators when underground sources of drinking water may be endangered, and why the idea that wastewater is simply being "put back where it came from" can be misleading.

In this episode:

• How environmental laws often rely on self-reporting and self-classification
• Radioactive materials associated with oil and gas waste
• The experiences of workers transporting oilfield waste
• Injection-well pressure and wastewater migration
• Potential threats to groundwater and drinking-water sources
• Community efforts in southeastern Ohio to challenge injection-well expansion
• The connection between produced water, oil and gas development, and the rapidly expanding data-center industry
• The imbalance of resources communities can face when taking environmental disputes into the legal system
• Why public-interest environmental attorneys can provide an important tool for communities seeking accountability

Megan also reflects on the limitations of an adversarial legal system in which corporations may have enormous legal and financial resources while affected residents and community organizations often have comparatively little—and why litigation can nevertheless remain one of the last avenues available for communities seeking justice.

Exposure examines the systems, industries, policies, and decisions shaping life throughout the Ohio Valley—and the people working to understand and challenge them.

Learn more about Ohio Valley Allies:
https://ohiovalleyallies.org/

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#Fracking #InjectionWells #ProducedWater #OilAndGas #EnvironmentalJustice #Earthjustice #OhioValley #RadioactiveWaste #WaterPollution #DataCenters

Disclaimer:

Exposure is an editorial and investigative journalism platform produced by Ohio Valley Allies. The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization or its affiliates. Statements made by guests reflect their personal experiences, interpretations, and analysis, and should not be construed as assertions made by Exposure.

Our mission is to investigate and document the impacts of extractive industries—including oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastics—through in-depth interviews, research, and storytelling. We aim to expose the truth behind these industries' operations and consequences using good-faith inquiry, verified sources where possible, and the protections afforded to journalists under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The content presented in this podcast is intended for informational, educational, and documentary purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice, a call to action, or an endorsement of any specific viewpoint, protest, or organization.

We do not knowingly publish false or defamatory statements. All claims are based on publicly available information, firsthand accounts, expert interviews, or journalistic analysis. Where allegations or critical claims are made, we strive to provide context and sourcing.

We are committed to correcting material errors. If you believe a factual inaccuracy has occurred, please contact us at info@ohiovalleyallies.org for timely review and, if warranted, correction.

While Exposure covers controversial and high-stakes topics, we do so as journalists seeking transparency, accountability, and the free exchange of ideas—not as advocates for any political party, protest strategy, or legal action.

Former Fairmont Brine operations manager Sean Guthrie sits down for his first long-form interview about working at one of West Virginia's most controversial oilfield waste facilities.

Sean describes what he believed the facility was doing, how the operation worked, the Kentucky TENORM disposal incident, worker safety practices, and the questions he began asking after learning more about the radioactive components of fracking waste years after the plant closed.

The episode also features archival footage from investigative journalist Justin Nobel and microbiologist Dr. Yuri Gorby during their investigation of the abandoned Fairmont Brine site, including Geiger counter readings and field observations.

This interview reflects Sean Guthrie's firsthand experiences and recollections. Where claims involve historical events, regulatory actions, or technical information, supporting documentation and source materials are provided below.

Sources & Further Reading

• Justin Nobel, Petroleum-238 (2024)

• Rolling Stone / Truthdig investigative reporting by Justin Nobel on Fairmont Brine

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Fairmont Brine Removal Site

• EPA Removal Administrative Record – Fairmont Brine Site

• Kentucky Energy & Environment Cabinet enforcement records regarding the Blue Ridge Landfill TENORM disposal case

• West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection records related to Fairmont Brine

If you have firsthand knowledge, documents, or experiences related to Fairmont Brine or radioactive oilfield waste, we'd like to hear from you.

Special thanks for the archival footage provided by Collin Sheehy, director of Photography - Pittsburghcamera.com

Disclaimer:
Exposure is an editorial and investigative journalism platform produced by Ohio Valley Allies. The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization or its affiliates. Statements made by guests reflect their personal experiences, interpretations, and analysis, and should not be construed as assertions made by Exposure.

Our mission is to investigate and document the impacts of extractive industries—including oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastics—through in-depth interviews, research, and storytelling. We aim to examine these industries using good-faith inquiry, verified sources where possible, and the protections afforded to journalists under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The content presented in this podcast is intended for informational, educational, and documentary purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice, a call to action, or an endorsement of any specific viewpoint, protest, or organization.

We do not knowingly publish false or defamatory statements. All claims are based on publicly available information, firsthand accounts, expert interviews, or journalistic analysis. Where allegations or critical claims are made, we strive to provide context and sourcing.

We are committed to correcting material errors. If you believe a factual inaccuracy has occurred, please contact us at info@ohiovalleyallies.org
for timely review and, if warranted, correction.

We encourage viewers to stay informed, engage thoughtfully with public policy, and participate in civic processes in their communities.

While Exposure covers controversial and high-stakes topics, we do so as journalists seeking transparency, accountability, and the free exchange of ideas—not as advocates for any political party, protest strategy, or legal action.