Ohio asks Rover pipeline to stop horizontal drilling

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has told the company building the massive Rover natural gas pipeline project to stop horizontal drilling after another spill of clay-based slurry.

The Repository reports EPA Director Craig Butler on Wednesday asked Energy Transfer Partners, the Dallas-based company building the $4.2 billion project, to halt drilling after 200 gallons of slurry spilled into a river in Ashland County on Nov. 16.

Butler told the company the EPA will be asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to intervene.

The state Attorney General’s Office earlier this month sued Energy Transfer claiming the company had committed numerous environmental violations in more than a dozen counties. The EPA earlier fined the company $2.3 million over previous spills.

A spokesman for the project didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.