Ohio Spars With Company Over Tax Break for Fracking Equipment

Stingray Pressure Pumping LLC and the Ohio tax commissioner are going head to head at the state’s high court in opposing briefs over which pieces of the company’s hydraulic fracturing equipment are exempt from sales and use tax.

Tax Commissioner Jeffrey A. McClain assessed over $3.6 million in tax, interest, and penalties on 60 pieces of equipment Stingray bought for its fracking operations. The commissioner later canceled half of the assessments, finding the pieces of equipment they covered fell under the state’s exemption for equipment used “directly” in the production of oil and gas.

Stingray asked ...