The conflict over fracking has evolved into a fight over state versus local power because many who worry about fracking’s impacts see Ohio law as overly friendly to drillers. As the shale gas boom has taken off, state lawmakers have decided that oil and gas drillers should be exempt from local land use laws that apply to other businesses, which streamlines economic development. That means localities can’t ban the industry, or regulate it. Instead, lawmakers gave that job to one agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. In response to an interview request, ODNR released a statement saying having uniform statewide rules is the best way to protect health and the environment. But the agency has a dual mission of promoting and regulating industry. And the activists say ODNR does too much promotion and not enough protection. So: they’re trying to take the power back. Along with challenging state law, the Bills of Rights also assert residents’ rights to pure air and water – and not just human residents, but all ‘natural communities,’ or ecosystems. [...] Meanwhile, the activists’ language reflects how polarized the fracking debate has become. Bob Andreano, standing on a street in Gates Mills with his yard signs, harkens back to the civil rights era and says unjust laws must be challenged. Regina Staple agrees: Staple: We’re not just going to sit back, and because they say it’s against state law, we’re going to stop. Because that’s the only way you get things changed: small groups of concerned citizens get together, and one step at a time, make change. For more information: Ohio Community Rights Network Protect Youngstown Athens County Fracking Action Network - ACFAN.org Columbus Community Bill of Rights kentenvironmentalrightsgroup.org/ https://twitter/gatesmills2014 wcbe.org/post/fracking-bans-tuesdays-ballot-several-communities
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 16:40:53 +0000
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