Ohio House candidates talk about fracking

Over the several months the debate over oil and gas "fracking" in Athens County has developed into one of the most controversial local environmental issues in decades, and it now looks to be a significant election issue as well.

State Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Albany, and Republican challenger Charles Richter, of Little Hocking, spoke at length about the issue with The Athens NEWS this week. Both candidates said they support the rights of individual property owners but both also cited some concerns that need to be taken into consideration.

Challenging Richter in the Republican primary is Hocking College graduate Micah Martindale of Reedsville. Martindale could not be reached for comment.

Phillips said Wednesday that land and mineral owners have property rights, and historically this region has seen its share of oil and gas drilling.

"I think that this method raises a lot of questions and a lot of serious concerns, and I share a lot of those concerns," she said. "Big picture, I think our region has seen a lot of boom-and-bust cycles in the past."

Southeast Ohio, she said, has seen industries such as coal mining that come and are strong for a while but then slow and leave a legacy of environmental impacts that need to be dealt with by the people who are left behind.

"I think it's important for folks to remember that while a lot of people are excited about the prospect of making money… that these companies are not coming here to try to help our region," she said. "They're coming here to try to make as much money as they can. And people need to be incredibly diligent and educated about the decisions that they are making."

She said government officials have to be diligent as well, making sure the water supplies stay safe and monitoring the impact on local roadways.

"I think that we need to push (the Ohio Department of Natural Resources) for very strong oversight of any of this activity," she said. "There need to be enough inspectors to be out there monitoring any activity of these companies. And it's also incredibly important that ODNR take a look at potential interactions with both active and old coal mines, and also any abandoned and orphaned wells."

The ODNR Division of Mineral Resources holds all oil and gas drilling regulatory authority in the state. Phillips said she has worked on and continues to support the idea that oil and gas drilling-related taxes collected at the state level should be passed along to the local communities that are being impacted.

(Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday proposed levying an "impact" tax on deep-shale oil and gas wells, along with other taxes and fees, to help compensate local communities for impacts related to the industry, such as road and bridge damages. However, his proposal came after the interviews with Phillips and Richter.)

Any landowner considering signing an oil and gas lease should consult with an attorney who's experienced in this area of law, Phillips said, and monitor information about how best to protect themselves during the process.

Deep injection wells used to deposit millions of gallons of fracking waste-water and chemicals are a subject that needs serious study, Phillips added.

"It's something ODNR needs to figure out very quickly – how to handle the disposal of any waste from this industry," she said. "I think there is a lot of legitimate concern about what exactly they are disposing of and what the longer-term impacts can be.

RICHTER SAID LAST WEEK that the oil and gas deep-shale boom holds opportunity for creating jobs and making money, but the environmental impact must be dealt with as well.

"It's a hot issue for lots of reasons," he said. "My thing is, I know we need to definitely protect the environment. Personally, we had geothermal installed so we're not using propane or gas any more to heat our house."

Richter pointed out that rural southeast Ohio doesn't have a lot of opportunities to increase its economic fortunes.

"I think it's something that we need to challenge the environmentalists, the scientists and the drilling companies to see if we can't tweak some of the things that they do to find a better way that's not as invasive, or so we don't have an issue with the well water," he said.

He said that technology advances quickly and finding solutions that protect the environment without limiting economic benefits is achievable.

"Necessity breeds invention," he said.

He also encouraged people to look into using geothermal and solar energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

"You have a lot of issues going on here together," he said. "This is something that we need to work together on and not fight each other."

Richter proposed having a think tank in Columbus made up of scientists and oil and gas representatives and others to study the issue and come up with the best plan to proceed with limited impact on the environment while taking advantage of the economic opportunity.

He also said he supports looking into and investing in alternatives to oil and gas energy sources all around.

Moreover, he said, the use of new technologies provides another economic opportunity, as they can be developed and then sold in a larger market.

"The way I look at it is, this is a national emergency here," he said.

The role of the government, he said, is to act as a team leader to get industry experts and scientists to work together toward solutions.

As for the ODNR having sole regulatory authority, Richter said that there are advantages to having one body making the state homogeneous in its treatment of the oil and gas industry.

"Sometimes our government is the obstacle to getting to where we want to be," he said. "So there is an advantage to having one group to control. The Legislature can always give them more or less power or point them in the direction that they want them to go."