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A Landscape That the Glaciers Overlooked

GOP plan to allow drilling in parks draws fire

Eco-activists say proposal to raise funds through sale of rights to oil, natural gas could spoil Ohio's preserves

By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal staff writer

Republicans in the Ohio Legislature want to open Ohio's state parks and preserves to new drilling for natural gas and oil.
The proposal — similar to an effort that failed in 2008 — quickly came under fire from Ohio environmental groups. The measure has support from state oil and gas drillers.
State Rep. John Adams, R-Celina, and 25 other House members introduced House Bill 133 this month. It would open 203,000 acres of state land to gas and oil companies submitting the highest bids.
Proceeds from the leases and royalties would go into a state fund that state agencies could use for capital projects and operating costs, according to the bill.
A new five-member state panel — the Oil and Gas Leasing Board — and not the Ohio Department of Natural Resources would handle the leases.
The chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Mineral Resource Management and the chief of the Division of Geological Survey would sit on the board.
John Husted has been head of mineral resource management since 2007. He started at the state agency in 1980. Larry Wickstrom has been the geological survey chief since 2007. He started at the state agency in 1983.
Gov. John Kasich would appoint the remaining members of the panel, two from the oil and gas industry and one from an Ohio environmental group.
Additional drilling is needed in Ohio to
stabilize energy prices for residents and to assure that Ohio's natural resources are used responsibly, the bill says.
The legislation was referred to the House's Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is reviewing the legislation, spokeswoman Laura Jones said.
The agency must be satisfied that public safety and natural resources would be protected before it would proceed with any drilling, she said.
It is also important that "an efficient and fair process" be in place to handle leases and payments, she said.
David Mustine, the new director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, told the Columbus Dispatch in January that his agency was open to drilling because it could provide needed funds for his agency.
Ohio's state parks face a $560 million repair backlog, officials said.
Kasich has said he favors drilling in the state parks.
Drillers are mostly interested in shale from 5,000 to 8,000 feet under the eastern half of Ohio.
Drilling advocates have said Ohio could get $30 million a year that could be earmarked for park improvements.

West Branch State Park east of Ravenna and Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge are among the state sites drillers are most interested in, according to reports.
Ohio owns more than 590,000 acres in 75 parks, 21 forests, 135 nature preserves and 140 wildlife areas.
There is no ban on drilling in state parks or nature preserves, but current law does not permit state authorities to approve drilling permits. They must be approved by the Legislature.
Drilling is permitted in state forests and state wildlife areas.
There also might be some wells at parks and preserves that predate state ownership.
Environment Ohio, a Columbus eco-group, sharply rapped the bill.
"Ohio's state parks, from Hocking Hills to East Harbor, are special places set aside for Ohio families to hike, camp and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature," spokesman Julian Boggs.
"They were not intended to be drilling sites. This proposal violates the promise of our parks and would effectively turn public property over to oil and gas companies."
For Ohio lawmakers to put up "a sign outside our state parks that says 'open for drilling' is just crazy," Boggs said.
Jack Shaner of the Ohio Environmental Council called the bill "a promise breaker of the first order."
"The people of Ohio have been promised that our parks will be a refuge. People go to state parks to get away from everything, not to see, smell and hear drilling rigs and related operations," Shaner said.
"No one in Ohio believes that the price of natural gas or oil will drop one cent for Ohio residents if 'Drill, baby, drill!' becomes the watchword for Ohio state parks and state lands under our new governor."
Environmentalists hope that Kasich will change his mind and not open the state parks to drilling, he said.
"Does he want to be known as the governor who drilled Ohio's parks?" Shaner asked.
There is growing concern that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing being used to reach gas and oil in the Marcellus shale under eastern Ohio and nearby states might create environmental problems, he said.
Drillers say those methods have been used for decades, are safe and do not threaten drinking-water aquifers.
The proposed legislation is "a way for Ohio to help itself," said Tom Stewart, executive director of the 1,500-member Ohio Oil & Gas Association.
Ohio is in a financial jam and cannot afford to care for its state parks, while new drilling leases would provide a big financial boost to the state, he said.
The key is to develop an open, transparent public process to assure that park resources are protected and allow drillers to bid for leases to make sure that the state gets the best financial offers, he said.
Such drilling takes place in Michigan and Pennsylvania parks without problems, he said.

Republicans in the Ohio Legislature want to open Ohio's state parks and preserves to new drilling for natural gas and oil.

The proposal — similar to an effort that failed in 2008 — quickly came under fire from Ohio environmental groups. The measure has support from state oil and gas drillers.

State Rep. John Adams, R-Celina, and 25 other House members introduced House Bill 133 this month. It would open 203,000 acres of state land to gas and oil companies submitting the highest bids.

Proceeds from the leases and royalties would go into a state fund that state agencies could use for capital projects and operating costs, according to the bill.

A new five-member state panel — the Oil and Gas Leasing Board — and not the Ohio Department of Natural Resources would handle the leases.

The chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Mineral Resource Management and the chief of the Division of Geological Survey would sit on the board.

John Husted has been head of mineral resource management since 2007. He started at the state agency in 1980. Larry Wickstrom has been the geological survey chief since 2007. He started at the state agency in 1983.

Gov. John Kasich would appoint the remaining members of the panel, two from the oil and gas industry and one from an Ohio environmental group.

Additional drilling is needed in Ohio to
stabilize energy prices for residents and to assure that Ohio's natural resources are used responsibly, the bill says.

The legislation was referred to the House's Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is reviewing the legislation, spokeswoman Laura Jones said.

The agency must be satisfied that public safety and natural resources would be protected before it would proceed with any drilling, she said.

It is also important that "an efficient and fair process" be in place to handle leases and payments, she said.

David Mustine, the new director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, told the Columbus Dispatch in January that his agency was open to drilling because it could provide needed funds for his agency.

Ohio's state parks face a $560 million repair backlog, officials said.

Kasich has said he favors drilling in the state parks.

Drillers are mostly interested in shale from 5,000 to 8,000 feet under the eastern half of Ohio.

Drilling advocates have said Ohio could get $30 million a year that could be earmarked for park improvements.

West Branch State Park east of Ravenna and Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge are among the state sites drillers are most interested in, according to reports.

Ohio owns more than 590,000 acres in 75 parks, 21 forests, 135 nature preserves and 140 wildlife areas.

There is no ban on drilling in state parks or nature preserves, but current law does not permit state authorities to approve drilling permits. They must be approved by the Legislature.

Drilling is permitted in state forests and state wildlife areas.

There also might be some wells at parks and preserves that predate state ownership.

Environment Ohio, a Columbus eco-group, sharply rapped the bill.

"Ohio's state parks, from Hocking Hills to East Harbor, are special places set aside for Ohio families to hike, camp and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature," spokesman Julian Boggs.

"They were not intended to be drilling sites. This proposal violates the promise of our parks and would effectively turn public property over to oil and gas companies."

For Ohio lawmakers to put up "a sign outside our state parks that says 'open for drilling' is just crazy," Boggs said.

Jack Shaner of the Ohio Environmental Council called the bill "a promise breaker of the first order."

"The people of Ohio have been promised that our parks will be a refuge. People go to state parks to get away from everything, not to see, smell and hear drilling rigs and related operations," Shaner said.

"No one in Ohio believes that the price of natural gas or oil will drop one cent for Ohio residents if 'Drill, baby, drill!' becomes the watchword for Ohio state parks and state lands under our new governor."

Environmentalists hope that Kasich will change his mind and not open the state parks to drilling, he said.

"Does he want to be known as the governor who drilled Ohio's parks?" Shaner asked.

There is growing concern that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing being used to reach gas and oil in the Marcellus shale under eastern Ohio and nearby states might create environmental problems, he said.

Drillers say those methods have been used for decades, are safe and do not threaten drinking-water aquifers.

The proposed legislation is "a way for Ohio to help itself," said Tom Stewart, executive director of the 1,500-member Ohio Oil & Gas Association.

Ohio is in a financial jam and cannot afford to care for its state parks, while new drilling leases would provide a big financial boost to the state, he said.

The key is to develop an open, transparent public process to assure that park resources are protected and allow drillers to bid for leases to make sure that the state gets the best financial offers, he said.

Such drilling takes place in Michigan and Pennsylvania parks without problems, he said.

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GOP plan to allow drilling in parks draws fire

GOP plan to allow drilling in parks draws fire

Eco-activists say proposal to raise funds through sale of rights to oil, natural gas could spoil Ohio's preserves

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