WV Gets OK To Frack Under Ohio River

West Virginia is selling fracking rights under the Ohio River, and other states in the Ohio River Valley are keeping a close eye to see how the plan plays out. Ohio has little say about West Virginia selling rights under the river since it's not in Ohio: The state line is mostly along the western and northern banks. So, West Virginia can do as it wants with what’s under the river. For now that’s leasing drilling rights. West Virginia spokesman Josh Jerrall told the Columbus Dispatch his state needs the money. But, Ohio activist Lea Harper says accidents could harm drinking water far downstream. Jerrall, citing successful under-river drilling elsewhere, says it’s safe. But, should something go wrong, there is a water testing system on the river from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi River. It uses chemical signatures to find pollutants. Lisa Cochran is with the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation District -- a consortium of states in the Ohio River watershed. “The system is 16 locations where we monitor water for unanticipated organic compounds that might be related to a spill.” West Virginia is negotiating with three companies for drilling rights under the Ohio River.