The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio HB 439 prohibits applying oil and gas well brine to roads
Last action · September 15, 2025: Referred to Natural ResourcesSponsors: Tristan Rader and 6 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Legislation bans the surface application of from oil and gas wells on any road or highway in Ohio, repealing exceptions that previously allowed the practice. The measure also updates civil and criminal penalties for violations related to brine storage, transportation, and disposal.
Eliminates the legal mechanism allowing oil and gas wastewater to be spread on public roadways, altering disposal practices for drilling operators and waste transporters.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
oil and gas well owners
brine transporters
Subject to updated rules, registration requirements, and penalty structures governing the handling and disposal of oil and gas fluids.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main change introduced by House Bill 439?
Does the bill change penalties for illegal brine disposal?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Sep 15, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Natural Resources
- Sep 9, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Elimination of Brine Road Spreading
The legislation systematically removes statutory exceptions and administrative authority that previously allowed oil and gas brine to be applied to public roads.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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