A recent letter titled “Ohio Oil and Gas Under Attack by California Funded Leftists from Athens County,” is misleading and dismissive of the citizens of this area.

Had the author done even the most basic background work, he would know the headline is untrue. For the past three years, Washington County residents have held multiple town halls on the issue of injection wells. I have attended these meetings — yet not once have I seen the author there. Nor have we seen our local elected officials, including state Sen. Brian Chavez, who continues to refuse to answer even the most basic questions about his involvement, or state Rep. Kevin Ritter.

The author claims to understand what is happening here, but did he ever sit down with Bob Lane or Bob Wilson, local oil and gas developers who have been directly impacted by these wells? Since he never mentions their names, it is clear he did not. Had he taken just one day to leave Franklin County and come back to southeast Ohio, he would have seen firsthand what we are facing.

The attack on Marietta City Council and attempt to label southeast Ohioans as “radicals” is not only insulting, but also factually wrong. The people who attended the Warren Water Association meeting at Warren High School, the Marietta City Council meeting, or any of the MOVCAC meetings were not outsiders or leftists. They are citizens of Washington, Athens, and Noble counties in Ohio, along with Wood County, West Virginia. They live here. They work here. They raise their families here. And unlike the author, they drink this water every day.

In the letter, the author wrote:

“California and Athens County leftists do not care about Marietta. In fact, the only thing green they care about is the color of the money lining their bank accounts. Reject radical out-of-state special interest groups and support the clean energy jobs powering Ohio’s future.”

Those words are a slap in the face to the people of southeast Ohio. The author has tried to place himself — and the politicians in Columbus and Washington County — on a moral high ground while dismissing the voices of the people who actually live here. On a daily basis Washington County alone receives approximately 5,981,955 barrels of brine waste per year according to the Ohio Department of Resources in 2024 from Ohio, WV, PA and other states. Washington County to date, has 17 operating Brine Water Injection Wells with two newly permitted — one 5000 bpd (barrels per day), the second 5500 bpd or 3,832,500 barrels per year. Adding this amount 3,832,500 barrels to the current amount of 5,981,955, and Washington County will receive 9,814,455 barrels per year or 412,207,110 gallons per year. With three additional wells in the wings.

The reality is simple: This issue is not about oil and gas production. It is about the long-term safety of our water supply. Injection wells pump toxic waste into the ground surrounding our aquifers. If that system fails — and it already has in places — the author of that letter will not be the one living with the consequences. We will.

Let me be clear: I support the oil and gas industry. I benefit from the products it provides, just like anyone else. But I can live without oil and gas. I cannot live without clean water. For the writer to reframe this issue as an attack on energy or as the work of “radical outsiders” is dishonest.

The people of southeast Ohio are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for respect, accountability, and above all, the truth. We are not radicals. We are citizens exercising our right to demand answers about the safety of our water, our communities, and our future.

If the letter writer truly cares about the citizens of Southeast Ohio, then listen to the people who live here, not just politicians. Spend time in the communities most directly affected, attend townhalls or City Council meetings that are addressing this issue. See what we see, hear what we hear, and drink what we drink. Only then will he understand why this fight matters.

Until then, please stop using propaganda to silence those whose only demand is for clean and safe water.

Glenn Newman, of North Hills, is a member of the MOV Citizens Action Coalition.