A recently approved state law opened Ohio's public lands, including its parks, to fracking. To date, bids to drill under Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge and two wildlife areas in Columbiana and Carroll counties have received the greenlight from a state panel.
A law passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Mike DeWine last year helped speed up the leasing process for companies to obtain rights to use hydraulic fracturing or fracking to extract oil and gas under state-owned lands including state parks.
This week, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission approved two bids for companies to drill for oil and gas under state-owned lands in Noble and Monroe counties.
Back in February, the commission awarded bids for exploration under Ohio's largest state park, Salt Fork, as well as two wildlife areas in Columbiana and Carroll counties.
State lawmakers who supported the law and leasing public lands for fracking say it will bring in revenue. Opponents say they are concerned about the environmental impact from fracking, especially in the pristine park lands.
We will begin Wednesday’s “Sound of Ideas” discussing the fracking of public lands, including Ohio’s state parks with a representative from the Ohio oil and gas industry as well as a member of a grassroots group fighting to preserve the parks.
Later, the Memorial Day weekend is nearly here and brings the start of summer for many. Ideastream’s Kabir Bhatia joins the program to talk about some of the festivals and events to look forward to in Northeast Ohio this summer.
Guests:
-Julie Grant, Managing Editor/Reporter, The Allegheny Front
-Melinda Zemper, Steering Committee, Save Ohio Parks
-Rob Brundrett, President, Ohio Oil and Gas Association
-Kabir Bhatia, Senior Reporter, Arts and Culture, Ideastream Public Media
