Fracking Protesters in Ohio May Be Charged Under Anti-Terrorism Act

We earlier this week noted a report of fracking protesters who briefly shut down a storage facility in Washington County, Ohio on Tuesday.

The original news article stated that the company whose facilities were descended upon by the activists stored wastewater from fracking. This isn't accurate. The brine stored on that site is not really waste from fracking, and doesn't contain fracking chemicals. It is mineral-rich salt water that comes from shale wells long after they've been drilled and fracked.

And yet, the site was chosen by fracktivists for a highly illegal raid which frightened workers and forced the company to shut down operations for six hours.

Here is a release from GreenHunter Energy, Inc., which operates the storage facility:

GreenHunter Water Terminalling Facility Held Hostage by Protestors

GRAPEVINE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 20, 2013-- GreenHunter Energy, Inc. (NYSE MKT: GRH) (NYSE MKT: GRH.PRC), a diversified water resource, waste management and environmental services company specializing in the unconventional oil and natural gas shale resource plays, announced tonight, that at approximately 10:30 AM EST today, GreenHunter Water’s New Matamoras water handling facility located in Washington County, Ohio near the town of New Matamoras was illegally raided by approximately 100 protestors. The actions of these trespassers forced the Company to completely shut down the facility for approximately six hours today before police from a number of different agencies throughout the State of Ohio arrived and forcibly removed the protestors from GreenHunter Water's property.

Ten individuals were arrested for their actions and are subject to felony charges which may include violations under the Anti-Terrorism Act. These individuals are being held overnight in county jail with arraignment anticipated sometime tomorrow by the local magistrate.

Once all protestors were removed from the premises, full business operations were reinstated at approximately 4:00 PM EST today. The Company is not aware of any physical damages caused to its property or equipment. GreenHunter is continuing normal business operations at this facility.

The Company has hired legal counsel and plans to pursue all legal remedies available under the law against those individuals and organizations that were involved in today's illegal activities.

The New Matamoras bulk storage and transloading facility is a central collecting station fully licensed to do business by the appropriate governmental authorities. Contrary to erroneous media reports, this facility only handles salt water from oil and gas wells located in the States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. No Hazardous wastes or other unlicensed materials are handled by GreenHunter Water at this location.


About GreenHunter Water, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of GreenHunter Energy, Inc.)

GreenHunter Water, LLC provides Total Water Management Solutions™ in the oilfield. An understanding that there is no single solution to E&P fluids management shapes GreenHunter’s technology-agnostic approach to services. In addition to licensing of and joint ventures with manufacturers of mobile water treatment systems (Frac-CycleTM), GreenHunter Water is expanding capacity of salt water disposal facilities, next-generation modular above-ground storage tanks (MAG Tank™), advanced hauling and fresh water logistics services - including 21st Century tracking technologies (RAMCATTM) that allow Shale producers to optimize the efficiency of their water resource management and planning while complying with emerging regulations and reducing cost.

Additional information about GreenHunter Water may be found atwww.GreenHunterWater.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations and prospects for GreenHunter Energy and its business and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will" and similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the substantial capital expenditures required to fund its operations, the ability of the Company to implement its business plan, government regulation and competition. GreenHunter Energy undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the future.

Source: GreenHunter Energy, Inc.


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