COLUMBUS, OH — In a fierce pushback against a new legislative move, Ohio's environmental community is rallying to oppose a bill that not only extends fracking leases but also controversially labels nuclear energy as "green." House Bill 308 was hastily passed during the state's lame-duck session, bypassing public scrutiny, and now sits on Governor Mike DeWine's desk awaiting action.
Save Ohio Parks has initiated a massive letter-writing campaign, with over 610 letters demanding that DeWine veto the bill. The group's website, bit.ly/veto308, serves as a hub for this public outcry, reflecting deep concerns about the bill's potential to ravage Ohio's natural heritage, compromise public health, and contaminate water resources.
This legislative maneuver isn't the first of its kind; it echoes a 2022 move where lawmakers quietly transformed a poultry bill into a green light for fracking in public spaces, also without public hearings. Critics see H.B. 308 as yet another example of backroom dealings prioritizing industry over environment.
The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission, appointed by DeWine himself, has recently greenlit additional fracking projects in public areas like Salt Fork State Park and Egypt Valley Wildlife Area. Companies such as Gulfport Appalachia, with a history of environmental fines, Infinity Natural Resources, Encino Acquisition Partners, and EOG Resources, are now set to expand operations, with implications for both nuclear and fossil fuel interests.
At a recent OGLMC meeting, the swift approval of these leases, without due consideration of environmental impacts, has sparked outrage. Cathy Cowan Becker, president of Save Ohio Parks, condemned the move, stating, "Our lawmakers are turning Ohio into an industrial colony for out-of-state corporations and ruining our beautiful natural spaces for short-term oil and gas revenue. This must stop. We don’t need the energy here. The United States is already the largest exporter of methane (natural) gas in the world."
The reasons for opposition are stark:
Negligent Oversight: Over 1,500 oil and gas-related incidents have been documented, showcasing a pattern of environmental disregard.
Financial Burden: The expansion of fracking will likely result in more accidents, leaving Ohio taxpayers to manage the aftermath.
Water Depletion: The enormous water consumption by fracking operations could permanently alter Ohio's water cycle.
Hazardous Waste: The production of toxic wastewater, often radioactive, poses a significant threat to drinking water sources.
Health Risks: With the increase in radioactive waste from both nuclear and fracking activities, there's a heightened risk of cancer and other health issues.
Resource Exploitation: The profits from Ohio's resources benefit external corporations, while the state bears the environmental and health costs.
Leatra Harper, founder of the Freshwater Accountability Project, emphasized the state's lax regulation, saying, "Of extreme concern to us is ODNR's lax regulation of the gas and oil industry and its dangerous management of radioactive gas and oil waste."
Amidst growing concerns about water scarcity due to climate change, the use of Ohio's precious water resources for fracking seems even more shortsighted. Harper further noted, "Too much of Ohio’s fresh water has been removed from the system already. With climate change, we will lose even more water, yet Ohio is considered a climate change haven. Gas and oil production clearly ruins the quantity and quality of fresh water in Ohio."
The environmental community in Ohio is clear in its message: the state must pivot away from nuclear and fossil fuels towards sustainable energy sources to ensure the health and safety of its citizens and the preservation of its natural landscapes.
Cowan Becker concluded with a call to action, "If we are to survive on a livable planet and drink clean water, we need to focus much more attention on water quality and preservation of our water supply. Ohio needs policy and law that rapidly phases out fossil fuels, ramps up clean, reliable energy, and protects Ohioans from cancers and environmental harms. We can begin protecting our health and natural spaces by banning fracking under our beloved state parks and public lands."
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