Ohio Groups Want More Public Feedback on Leasing State Lands for Oil, Gas Drilling

Residents and environmental teams say they’re involved about public discover and remark processes for leasing state lands for oil and gasoline extraction.

Subsequent month, Ohio’s Joint Committee on Company Rule Evaluate holds a listening to on regulating the leasing course of.

Beneath Home Invoice 507, which simply went into impact, any state company that receives a request for fracking or drilling on land in a state park or forest should approve the request.

Cathy Cowan Becker – an organizer with Buckeye Environmental Community – defined that because the state’s Oil and Gasoline Land Administration Fee weighs new guidelines for the leasing course of, communities need their voices heard.

“When individuals discover out that is occurring, they’ve very sturdy emotions about this,” mentioned Becker. “And I actually hope the fee and the state will hearken to this, as a result of the persons are who personal the general public land. We are the ones who personal and use our state parks.”

Her group and others need the state to strengthen the foundations for notifying the general public – together with permitting 60 days for public feedback as a substitute of the present 21 – and assurances that Ohio will contemplate the well being and environmental impacts of fracking.

The listening to is Might 8.

Becker identified that, whereas fracking generates short-term income, research present preserving state lands brings in billions of {dollars} in income, yr after yr.

She added that accessing wilderness and outside recreation helps drive Ohio’s tourism financial system.

“So that individuals can hike and camp, and birdwatch and hunt, and fish, you recognize,” mentioned Becker, “they don’t seem to be going to wish to try this if a state park is surrounded by fracking rigs which can be flaring methane on a regular basis.”

The Environmental Safety Company says the burning off or flaring of pure gasoline, the heavy gear at nicely websites, and the usage of diesel vehicles to move supplies to and from the websites all contribute to elevated air air pollution.