Stop Drilling in State Parks and Nature Preserves!

[irishbobcat]

Stop Drilling in State Parks and Nature Preserves!

Tell your legislators to vote NO on House Bill 133 and Senate Bill 108.

 

THE SITUATION:

The Ohio General Assembly has recently introduced companion legislation that would open ALL state lands to oil and gas drilling, including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling (aka "fracking"). 

HB 133 & SB 108 are on the legislative "fast-track," and are likely to pass in the next few weeks.  We need a strong showing from concerned Ohio citizens.  The Ohio House and Senate are currently holding hearings on the Bills and a final vote is expected in the coming weeks. 

It's up to us to organize, inform, and activate our fellow citizens about this serious threat to our public lands and health.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

·  Attend an upcoming legislative hearing and deliver testimony opposing HB 133 and SB 108.  The legislature is obligated to listen to testimony from everyone who attends a committee session and wishes to testify.  Getting hundreds, or thousands, of in-person testimonials in committee hearings may be the best way to slow the process and prevent the legislature from railroading Ohio citizens and our public lands with drilling legislation.  BFC recommends that interested persons formulate testimony now, as the hearing for opponents of the legislation may occur as early as next week.  Notice of the hearing date and time will be provided only a few days in advance; BFC will forward that information to you as soon as it becomes available.

·  Call your Ohio legislators Today to say: I believe that our state parks, state forests, state nature preserves, Lake Erie, and other state properties should be off limits to oil and gas extraction.  Vote NO on SB 108 and HB 133.

·  Write a letter to your local newspaper.

·  Spread the word to your family and friends in Ohio and ask that they do the same.









 

THE CONTENTS OF OHIO HB 133 & SB 108:

Here's the scoop on Ohio HB 133 and SB 108:

·   The Bills would open All state lands, including all state parks; nature preserves; and state university grounds, to oil and  gas drilling (including fracking).

·   They give authority to grant drilling leases on state land to a new Oil and Gas Leasing Board -- the Board is to be politically appointed and, per the language of the Bill, represented by Oil and Gas Industry interests.

·   The Oil and Gas Leasing Board will be funded by money from the leases it grants.

·   The Bills strip state universities of their current authority to approve or disapprove drilling leases on university lands.

·   The Bills fail to include any provisions for the protection of human health or the environment.

·   The Bills proclaim that it is the policy of the State to encourage drilling in state lands.

·   The Bills exclude the public from any stage of the leasing process -- Ohio citizens will have no say as to whether their parks will or will not be leased for oil and gas drilling; there will be no formal opportunity for public comments.















   

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Majority of Ohioans oppose drilling on our State Lands. A poll conducted by the Columbus Dispatch newspaper showed that more than 70 percent of the readers participating in the survey oppose the idea of drilling for oil and gas at Ohio's state parks.  Ohioans believe these lands have been set-aside as sanctuaries where families can go to enjoy our state's natural treasures.

Our State Lands should be protected from pollution and other risks caused by drilling. The natural gas industry currently enjoys unacceptable federal exemptions from key parts of the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Toxic Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and others.  Hydraulic Fracturing and Horizontal Drilling ("Fracking") pollutes groundwater with massive amounts of toxic drilling chemicals and can further poison the water table – and the food chain – by exposing and releasing highly radioactive elements such as radon.  In recent years, drilling has caused explosions, fires, water contamination, and spills on private lands in Ohio. With only twenty-two inspectors in the entire state, Ohio lacks the resources to enforce the minimal safety regulations that exist on private, let alone state lands.

Drilling would disrupt the pristine ecosystems on our State Lands. The presence of drill rigs, compressor stations, pipelines and roads would threaten the long-term sustainability of our fish, wildlife, and water resources. The access roads, larger clearings, and retainment ponds needed to accommodate hydraulic fracturing would have an even more significant impact on the landscape than traditional drilling. 

Only a small percentage of Ohio's landscape currently is off limits to oil and gas drilling.  The Revised Code does not authorize oil and gas development at state parks, state nature preserves, state historic sites, and the state's lone wilderness area.  This leaves the overwhelming majority of Ohio's landscape already open to drilling, including all privately owned land, all state forests and the Wayne National Forest (Ohio's largest single public land mass).

Drilling in Public Lands threatens tourism revenues for local and rural communities. Our state parks attract 50 million visitors each year.  Tourism in parks and public lands generates significant revenue to local economies, but resource impacts continue long after active drilling ceases, including site clearance, stream crossings, access road building, periodic maintenance, odors, compressor noise, and fire risks. These impacts—many of them unavoidable—will interfere with the experience of park visitors. A report produced by Longwoods International shows that each tax dollar spent on encouraging Ohio tourism produces $12 in state and local tax revenues.  This revenue would be put at risk if park visitors perceive an interruption of the natural experience that they have come to expect at Ohio's state parks. 

Say no to shady land men like Shrimpy and tell them our state parks are not open for drilling......

Just say NO TO FRACKING!