Ohio's Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments - and will answer questions in virtual sessions today and tomorrow, on a draft environmental assessment about the impacts of opening up 40,000 acres of Wayne National Forest to oil and gas leasing.
The lands are located primarily in Monroe, Noble and Washington counties.
Environmental advocates - like Roxanne Groff, a member of the Athens County's Future Action Network - said they don't believe the assessment fully captures the widespread loss of habitat or recreational opportunities fracking on public lands would unleash.
Groff said research shows fracking comes with serious environmental degradation and water contamination.
"We've got methane release, we've got toxic radioactive waste that has to be disposed of from the fracking extraction," said Groff. "We've got impacts to streams from water withdrawals, or possible contamination with spills."
The latest draft assessment comes after a federal court ruled in 2020 that an earlier version of the document did not consider potential impacts on federally protected species and waterways.
The Bureau says it's accepting public comments until May 6.
Randi Pokladnik, a member of Save Ohio Parks, said she's concerned about air pollution from fracking.
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Categories: Ohio, General