MARTINS FERRY — Cleaning and initial testing of the Austin Master Services frack waste processing facility is expected to be completed today.

More than a year ago, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action to force Austin Master Services to correct “egregious violations of Ohio law” regarding storage of oil and gas waste that he said threatened the Ohio River and Martins Ferry’s drinking water supply.

Flooding a few weeks later nearly breached the site, prompting additional concerns from resident and local and state officials.

In late March 2024, Yost filed a complaint against the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based company in Belmont County Common Pleas Court before Judge John Vavra.

The complaint alleged that the company was failing to properly store waste from gas and oil drilling and fracking operations at its facility located at 801 N. First St. in Martins Ferry — a site that is approximately 500 feet from the Ohio River and about 1,000 feet from the city’s drinking water well field.

“At the top of the list, Defendant has allowed tons of waste, some of which is radioactive, to far exceed its permitted storage capacity,” the complaint states.

Yost further alleged that Austin Master allowed radioactive liquids and sludge to flow uncontained on the facility’s floor and that it used unpermitted storage containers, including three dumpsters, a “green frac tank” and railcars, to store dangerous waste products.

The allegations were based on inspections on Feb. 7, 2024, that resulted in the initial notices of violations and orders to remove waste from the facility, as well as a follow-up inspection on March 15, 2024, when Ohio Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management staff “observed worsened conditions.” The company had terminated the entire staff of the facility, except for its radiation safety officer, who resigned on March 21, 2024.

Since then, a public outcry, efforts by city leaders and court proceedings have resulted in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management stepping in to clean up the facility. That work is scheduled to be largely finished as of today.

“The second phase of the cleanup at Austin Master Services (AMS) in Martins Ferry is almost finished,” ODNR spokeswoman Karina Cheung wrote in an email to The Times Leader. “All waste has been removed from the facility and the cleaning of the site is nearing completion. Testing is underway to determine if any further remediation at the site is required. The project is on schedule to have the site completely cleaned and initial testing completed by May 28, 2025.”

In mid-April, Cheung said the first phase of the cleanup was completed by a contractor utilizing an existing state contract for environmental remediation. That first phase cost $513,363.06.

A bid awarded for the second phase of the cleanup went to Select Water Solutions LLC with a contract for $6,128,039.44. According to Cheung, Select Water Solutions LLC had invoiced $4,449,911.73 for work completed through March 11, 2025.

As early as April 8 of this year, Cheung said about 97% of the waste had been removed from the facility with the remaining 3% in solid form.

“Once that is removed contractors will clean the building and appropriate industry testing will take place inside and outside of the building,” she noted. “All cleaning and testing will be complete by the end of May. ODNR fully intends to seek reimbursement from Austin Master Services, its parent company and CEO Brad Domitrovitsch.”