Fracking in Ohio state parks - What you can do to help!

April 7, 2023

In January, House Bill 507 – was signed into law that intended to regulate poultry sales included last minute amendments allowing the oil and gas industry to frack and extract public lands. Ohio public lands – which include 800,000 acres of state parks, forests, wildlife areas, historical sites, college campuses, and transportation land – belong to all of us and are at risk! The law will go into effect on April 7th, and the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission will be compelled to lease state lands.

The Oil and Gas Land Commission – a council within the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) – is reviewing the public lands nominations for fracking and approving/denying those lands for leasing. They should uphold ODNR's mission to protect Ohioans’ air, water and public parks from polluting and dangerous legislation like HB 507!
Take action now, prior to the hearing in 4 days! Submit testimony to ensure your voice is heard!
Fracking Pad surrounded by wilderness
Photo citation: Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2021.
 
As part of the administrative approval process, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing about oil and gas extraction from our public lands. The hearing will be Monday, April 10, at 10 a.m. at the ODNR headquarters, Building E Assembly Center, 2045 Morse Road, Columbus, OH -- and we need people to testify in person or send in a written comment.

In signing HB 507 into law, Gov. Mike DeWine stated that oil and gas companies could set up near state parks and conduct horizontal drilling for mineral rights under our public lands; his administration would not allow surface impacts on our public lands. Surface impacts refer to things like frack well pads, pipelines, access roads, temporary or permanent waste water pits, timber removal, and water withdrawals -- none of which we want on our state lands.

Yet, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has drafted a lease form instructing oil and gas companies that want surface impacts, to create a separate agreement with the agency that manages public land to allow it. Critically, this agreement would be made with no public notification or comment.

To date, the public has been given only one opportunity to comment on the proposed draft rule and lease form that will oversee leasing of our public lands to oil and gas companies for extraction. This is unacceptable. If any surface impacts are being planned or proposed on Ohio’s public land, that needs to be part of the application to the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission, so the public will be notified and given a chance to comment.
We have a small chance to do this over the next few days, submit a comment now.

Fracking is a threat to our health and environment! Why?
  • Use of PFAS and toxic chemicals used in drilling and fracking
  • Leaks - Ground water and drinking water sources are at risk of contamination, further point pollution of soil and toxic air emissions.
  • Health impacts near fracking include: Premature births, Low birth weight, Birth defects, Asthma, Migraine, Fatigue, Heart-related problems, certain types of cancer, like lymphoma and childhood leukemia
  • Earthquakes
  • Negative Impacts on biodiversity and landscape

Thank you for taking quick action in this crucial moment to protect Ohio's public lands.