News

Proposed Drilling Rules Released

By:
Posted on:

< < Back to proposed-drilling-rules-released

Proposed rules for allowing drilling in Ohio's state parks would require natural gas and oil companies to stay at least 300 feet – the length of a football field – from campgrounds, certain waterways and sites deemed historically or archaeologically valuable.

The proposals for drilling leases also include an 89-page list of "best management practices."
 
The state in September opened its parks and other lands to drilling. Records on proposed rules were released this week after the filing of a lawsuit claiming the state Department of Natural Resources had ignored repeated requests by the Ohio chapter of the Sierra Club to review them.
 
Among other proposed rules, state approval would be required before companies could store drilling waste in pits.