Hyperventilating Fractivists Opposed to Both Gas and Nuclear Ignored by Ohio Legislature and Governor

Guest post by Jim Willis of Marcellus Drilling News.

MDN told you that Ohio House Bill (HB) 308 had passed votes by both the full House and Senate and was heading to the desk of RINO Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature (see OH Senate Passes Bill Extending Time Drillers Can Frack State Land). HB 308 extends the standard lease terms for drillers who want to drill under (not on) state-owned land from three to five years. The bill also extends the total amount of time fracking operations can last from six to eight years. Sensible increases in both cases.

The radicals of Save Ohio Parks (and their friends) issued a press release demanding (notice the left always demands) that Gov. DeWine veto the bill. Because they say so.

Even though no drilling will happen on the surface of a state park or state-owned land and only under the land, the left falsely claims such underground work will destroy the parks. How do they figure?

Here’s a somewhat condensed of the press release:

It’s déjà vu all over again for state park lovers and protectors.

In 2022, during the Christmas lame duck session, Ohio lawmakers stuffed a simple poultry bill with unrelated amendments, morphing it into a law declaring natural gas “green energy” and requiring state parks and public lands to be fracked.

There was no public discussion.

During this year’s lame duck session, legislators similarly stuffed bill H.B. 308. It declares nuclear energy “green” and extends fracking leases under state parks and public lands as long as eight years.

This time, Save Ohio Parks and a coalition of Ohio environmental organizations are ready. They’re promoting a letter-writing campaign demanding Gov. Mike DeWine veto the surprise law. As of press time, more than 610 people had submitted letters asking DeWine to veto the bill.

DeWine has 10 days excluding Sundays to sign or veto a bill after it’s delivered to his desk. At press time, it had not landed there yet. The letter campaign can be accessed at bit.ly/veto308…

“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,” said Cathy Cowan Becker, board president at Save Ohio Parks. “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.”

While awaiting tardy commissioner Michael Wise, an oil and gas attorney for McDonald Hopkins, at the Dec. 9 OGLMC commission meeting, Save Ohio Parks volunteers Loraine McCosker, Jenny Morgan and Sunrise Athens from Ohio University told seated commissioners to protect our parks…

Save Ohio Parks outlines reasons DeWine should veto HB 308:

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources does a poor job of monitoring the gas and oil industry. Research by Save Ohio Parks and analysis by FracTracker Alliance revealed 1,500 reported gas and oil related “incidents” in Ohio over six years, including explosions and contamination of soil and water from spills. The data contradicts statements by an industry spokesman who claimed in media that the industry is safe and virtually accident-free

• Gas and oil production accidents and waste cleanups are apt to increase as fracking is expanded, and costs may be foisted upon taxpayers.

• National and international drilling companies exploit Ohio for investor profit.

• Ohio loses precious fresh water to fracking as the world heats up and droughts increase. Fracking operations use up to 40 million gallons fresh water per fracked well.

• Fracking destroys our fresh water, making it undrinkable forever. After gas, oil and water are separated, fracking wastewater, which the industry calls “produced water,” is radioactive and contaminated by unregulated chemicals.

• ODNR’s wastewater management is lax and dangerous. Seven Class II injection wells have been closed in Ohio since the frack boom began, the last two near Athens, Ohio, after 12 years of citizen complaints. The toxic wastewater leaked and migrated into wells, threatening drinking local water supplies and aquifers.

• Radioactive nuclear and oil and gas waste threatens Ohioans’ health. One billion gallons of radioactive oil and gas wastewater is injected deep underground in Ohio annually. Radium can be found in oil and gas waste streams and in nuclear waste, which is certainly not “green.” Elevated levels of radium cause bone-seeking cancers.

“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,” said Leatra Harper of Freshwater Accountability Project of Grand Rapids, Ohio. Her group has been working to protect Ohio’s fresh water for a decade…

We recommend the exact opposite. If you live in Ohio and support shale energy, be sure you do everything in your power to contact Gov. DeWine and encourage him to sign HB 308 into law. Be sure you respectfully request—don’t demand.

Editor’s Note: It turns out Jim chose wisely. Governor DeWine signed HB 308 almost immediately. The efforts of Save Ohio’s Parks were wasted. Real Ohioans know what’s phony and what’s not. Fractivists are so completely out of touch, yet they persist in their hyperventilating antics, which is precisely why they are losing.

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#Ohio #DeWine #Drilling #Parks #MarcellusShale #UticaShale #AppalachianShale