The Sierra Club has played a role in protecting our public lands here in Ohio from fracking. House Bill 49 contained two separate provisions that would likely allow public lands to be fracked. Thankfully the Ohio Senate has elected not to include these provisions in the Bill.
The first of which would have allowed the Division of Oil and Gas Resources to utilize mineral resources underlying lands owned by the State or a political subdivision of the State. In other words it would allow the fracking and other resource extraction techniques to take place on public lands. Fracking and other extraction techniques often involve tree cutting, road building and lots of materials being trucked in and out of the site. Public lands are there for our enjoyment and recreation. If this provision was made there is a good chance it would ruin public lands for all of us.
The second provision would change the process for appointing members to the Division of Oil and Gas Leasing Commission by removing the Governor’s authority to appoint members and vesting that authority in the Legislature. Thus far Governor Kasich has done a fantastic job appointing members to the board and we feared that the legislature would not be environmentally conscious when appointing members that would play a large role in regulating the oil and gas industry.
Our action alerts engaged citizens in calling their representatives about these issues seemed to be effective and the Ohio Senate has elected not to include these components of House Bill 49.
Although we seem to have won this battle for the greater good of the environment and people it is important that we remain vigilant and continue our actions against legislation that could endanger our public lands, human health and the environment itself. More than 700 acres of the Wayne National Forest, Ohio’s only National Forest was leased for fracking purposes in December of 2016. Although the land has already been leased, Wayne is still vulnerable to further leasing to fracking companies. You can write your representatives and scold them for allowing this abomination to take place and you can also request that they do not allow any further fracking in Federally owned public lands in the future.
Author: Aaron Acus-Souders