BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: BRINE SPREADING IN WOOSTER, WAYNE COUNTY, NORTHEAST OHIO, USA

Science provides research and suggestions to help society mitigate problems, however society often does not understand the information well enough to implement it within public policy. Ineffective communication and lack of scientific understanding thus have created a gap between scientific research and societal benefit. A powerful example of this gap is evident in a local debate regarding brine spreading in Wooster, Wayne County, Northeast Ohio, USA. Brine, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling and production operations, is composed of groundwater, salt, and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Brine was used for dust and ice control throughout the county until complaints, stemming from domestic well contamination, led to a moratorium of its spreading.

Presently, local brine spreading policies and licensing are void of any geologic or hydrogeologic considerations. This case study seeks to explore and characterize the local gap between science and society by examining available geologic and hydrogeologic studies and interviewing those involved in the brine spreading debate. Interviews suggest those involved are willingly adapting to the increasing need for scientific considerations within brine spreading regulations. For example, in an effort to revise current brine spreading regulations, local authorities, along with the Health Department and soil scientists, are examining soil characteristics and possible hazards at each individual spreading site. Suggestions for locally implementing science into policy include utilizing available resources to map brine spreading locations, soil types present, and proximity to water resources before considering a life on the moratorium.