Hicks-Hudson, Smith Testify on Bill to Prohibit Radioactive Brine from Being Spread on Ohio Roads

This week, state Senators Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid) gave sponsor testimony supporting Senate Bill 329. This bill will ensure Ohio’s roads and waterways are free from radioactive brine. 

"The Great Lakes and our waterways are some of the greatest highlights of our state. They have provided priceless contributions to our economy, public health, communities, and have historically been a major attraction, bringing many to Ohio," said Hicks-Hudson. "However, these natural resources are threatened every winter, when oil and gas brine are used on our roads as a de-icer or dust suppressant, infecting them with toxic substances and radioactive runoff."

Several analyses, including those conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, have found that brine products often contain unsafe levels of heavy metals and radioactive materials, such as radium – a radioactive metallic element found in the brine. Radium-226 and radium-228, which are commonly found in brine from oil and gas wells, are known carcinogens linked to bone, liver, and breast cancers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

If passed, Senate Bill 329 will join the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio Turnpike Commission, Michigan, and Pennsylvania in protecting Ohio’s waterways, safeguarding public health, and ensuring that our infrastructure is maintained responsibly.

Senate Bill 329 awaits further hearings in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.