Richfield pauses all digging after Twinsburg explosion

by Elie Aoun

Following the June 25 gas explosion in Twinsburg, Mayor Michael Wheeler paused all digging in Richfield, effective the morning of Monday, July 13. Several local communities, including Hudson, Twinsburg, Stow, Kent and Green, had stopped digging within a day of the explosion.

Wheeler made the decision after speaking with the law department, council members and residents. He noted that the moratorium covers all digging “whether it’s an oil or gas well, water well or fiber optic.” He said that he wanted to pause drilling “until we fully understand what the permitting process is and what the safety features are with these drilling companies.”

In addition to the Twinsburg explosion, local circumstances also influenced his decision. An HOA president told the mayor that concerned residents were removing utility flags from their yards. “If I let [the companies] go ahead and drill, they could hit a gas line,” he said. He further noted that OHIO811, the state’s “call before you dig” notification service, did not show the nearly century-old gas lines beneath the property of Enbridge Gas Ohio [formerly East Ohio Gas]. He believes that the utility’s maps need to be updated.

Ohio House Bill 227, which became effective on June 9, requires people to notify a “protection service” before digging begins anywhere in the state, with few exceptions. Wheeler said that some inspectors have flagged inaccurate locations or worked from inaccurate data used to place utility markings. Some people are not even contacting a protection service before digging, he added.

Kinetic currently has six permits for installing fiber-optic cables in Richfield, according to the mayor. He believes it is the only entity that will be inconvenienced by the moratorium.

“We’re currently reviewing all of the requirements for directional drilling, and we’re waiting for additional safety regulations from the state, which are being drafted because of the Twinsburg incident,” he said. The regulations may take up to 60 days to be issued.

The moratorium will be discussed at an upcoming Village Council meeting. Wheeler anticipates debate over the length of the moratorium and possible legislation. “I think [the moratorium is] just the conservative way to make sure the public is safe,” he said.