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Orphan wells could create employment for thousands

Among the legacies of our region’s boom-and-bust reliance on fossil fuel industries are the hundreds of thousands of orphan wells that dot Appalachia. According to a report by The Center Square, the federal government has counted approximately 127,000 orphan wells nationwide. Reporting out of Pennsylvania, The Center Square noted there are 27,000 in Pennsylvania, 20,000 in Ohio, 12,000 in Kentucky and 6,000 in West Virginia. Those are just the ones we know about. There are an estimated 300,000 undocumented orphan wells in Pennsylvania. Imagine how many there must be across the rest of ...

Rulli earns backing in GOP primary for Johnson’s seat

When Bill Johnson decided to step down from the U.S. 6th Congressional District seat to become Youngstown State University president, three Republicans saw an opportunity to step up and succeed him. This year’s primary election has no incumbent in the seat — the first time since 2006. Neither Reggie Stolzfus or Michael Rulli had planned to run for the seat, as both were in the second terms of their respective positions — Rulli as state senator in Ohio’s 33rd District and Stolzfus as state representative of Ohio’s 50th District. Then, following the devastating Feb. 3, 2023, ...

Congress, industry must get moving on railways safety

As we await a final report on the Norfolk Southern derailment that continues to haunt East Palestine, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made waves Wednesday when she told Congress the decision to blow open five tanks and burn what was inside was unnecessary. Imagine how that confirmation must have hit residents who still have fears about the lingering effects on their health of burning vinyl chloride while other chemicals were spilling into the ground and water. Homendy said the maker of the vinyl chloride that was inside those tank cars was left out of the ...

OneOhio must responsibly carry burden of distributing $51 million

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says he chose Alisha Nelson to be executive director of OneOhio “because I know that she shares my vision of intentionally using these settlement funds to help Ohioans struggling with substance use disorder for years to come.” Never mind what that says about the suspected motives of other potential candidates, it sounds as though DeWine believes OneOhio is under the right leadership to truly make a difference for Ohio residents. Doing so will be a challenge, and one that must be overcome in full view of the taxpayers. Having already been questioned on the ...

Another derailment and still no Railway Safety Act passage

In Lower Saucon Township, Pa., residents are awaiting the results of an investigation into yet another Norfolk Southern train derailment last Saturday. This one involved three trains and scattered rail cars along a riverbank. At least one was partially in the Lehigh River. So far, the National Transportation Safety Board seems confident no hazardous materials were involved when an eastbound Norfolk Southern train struck a stopped Norfolk Southern train, sending wreckage onto an adjacent track that was hit by a westbound Norfolk Southern train. There was a small diesel fuel spill and ...

Four long years later and COVID rules finally loosen

It took four long years, but U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials are finally ready to recommend parents should treat COVID-19 and its variants like any other respiratory illness. It is no longer a federal recommendation that students undergo isolation periods and masking. As deaths and hospitalizations from the virus drop, the CDC now says students can go back to school when their symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours without taking medication. The agency does still suggest that students are “encouraged” to wear a mask when they return to ...