Coast Guard Approves GreenHunter's Ohio River Barge Transport
Proposal
The State Journal
3 February 2015
By Colin Lawler
WHEELING. W.Va. - The U.S. Coast Guard has approved a Texas-based
company's $3 million proposal to ship liquid drilling wastes via
barges along the Ohio River waterways.
In a statement dated Jan. 26, 2015, GreenHunter Resources Inc.
said its proposal was quietly approved in the fourth quarter of
2014.
Kirk Trosclair, chief operating officer at GreenHunter, said in a
statement the coast guard's approval was a significant "win" for
both GreenHunter Resources and their clients.
In January of 2013, GreenHunter Resources indicated it wanted to
develop a new waste shipping terminal in Wheeling, WV. The company
indicated it will continue with that plan, spending $2.5 million
to $3 million to develop the site in Wheeling and expand or
develop new waste shipping terminals in New Matamoras in Ohio. The
facility in Wheeling is expected to cost $1.5 million.
The proposal for the Wheeling facility has been met with
opposition from the beginning with residents forming the "Wheeling
Water Warriors" to protest the plans. The group and other critics
are worried about the threat waste shipments impose to communities
who use the Ohio River for drinking water. They said any decision
made in Wheeling effects anyone living down river and city
officials need to consider that.
Trosclair went on to say the company's the latest lease agreement
would diversify service offerings, benefit clients and limits the
impact on the environment.
"The recently completed lease agreement of our MAGTank by a major
oil company further diversifies our service offerings, allows us
to reduce storage costs for today's E&P operator and
significantly limits the environmental impact of the surrounding
area," he said. "Clearly a win-win."
GreenHunter Resources said liquid wastes will be moves from barges
on the Ohio River to injection wells for disposal at the company
owned Mills Hunter Facility as Portland. The company said it
estimates each 10,000 barrels of disposal volumes transported
will reduce trucking hours by about 600 hours.
Company officials said they are looking farther south along the
Ohio River for future expansion sites.