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What’s New
From Lake Erie, to the Mohican State Park, to the Hocking Hills, Ohio’s forests, parks and lakes represent nature at its best, but lobbyists for the oil industry want to open them up for drilling. We don’t need to destroy our state parks and Lake Erie to meet our energy needs. That’s why Ohio PIRG is calling on Ohio’s gubernatorial candidates Ken Blackwell and Ted Strickland to commit that as governor they will support a ban on drilling in our public lands.
How You Can Help
Please take a minute to sign our on-line petition calling on Ohio’s gubernatorial candidates to commit to a permanent ban on oil and gas drilling in Ohio’s state parks, forests and Lake Erie.
Brief Summary
Oil and gas industry lobbyists have set their sights on drilling in Ohio’s remaining public lands and even went so far as pushing legislation this winter that would have opened these areas for drilling. After hearing from concerned citizens and conservationists, the legislature tabled the issue, but only for now. Ohio PIRG is calling on the gubernatorial candidates as well as other candidates running for elected office to pledge to permanently banning oil and gas drilling in our public lands if elected.
Drilling in Ohio’s last remaining wilderness areas, places like Lake Erie where families spend weekends boating, fishing, swimming and getting away from it all, is just not worth the risk. Less than 3% of Ohio’s land is still public and should be permanently protected.
Drilling for oil is an inherently dirty process. Dangerous chemicals like mercury are released into the air, land and water. Oil spills occur that can contaminate drinking water, kill wildlife, and destroy sensitive ecosystems.
Drilling for oil in places like Lake Erie is not worth the risk. There are cleaner, faster and cheaper ways to bring energy costs down. Ohio’s leaders should implement energy efficiency policies that would save consumers money and reduce the amount of energy we use. Ohio’s leaders should also seek to invest more money in renewable energy production like the wind farm in Bowling Green. More.
