FEDERAL ACTION. Two Easy Steps:

1. Send an Email to President Obama by clicking here:

http://citizenspeak.org/campaign/cmk/president-obama-please-help-protect-our-communities-fracking

 2. Federal bill (FRAC ACT) will help protect Ohio water. CLICK HERE TO HELP:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/676/t/572/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1203

 

LOCAL ACTION.

 Contact us via the contact tab for alternative options for your officials or for more information on the extent of their authority under the new law. 

STATE ACTION. 

Ohio Oil & Gas law was updated in 2010 with the passing of SB 165. Please see below for background and a link to the new law.  

 

OHIO OIL & GAS LAW BACKGROUND 2009 - 2010 

 

 In an attempt to correct the wrongs created by passage of HB 278 in 2004 and improve protections to prevent another 'Bainbridge Incident' (house explosion & water contamination traced to a nearby gas well which was recently fractured) three bills were introduced:

1. SB 196 by Senator Grendell  including suggestions of affected Ohioans in addition to ODNR provisions. RESULT: Senate committee had only one hearing and then moved ahead with SB 165 instead.

2. HB 426 by House Representatives Skindell/Stewart including suggestions of affected Ohioans in addition to ODNR provisions. RESULT: House committee did not even hear this bill and instead moved ahead with SB 165.

3. SB 165 by Senator Niehaus (becomes law on June 30, 2010)including suggestions primarily from oil & gas lobby and ODNR. Minor citizen and environmental provisions included. Read the bill: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=128_SB_165_PH

 RESULTS:

  • Passed the Senate 12/2009 without passage of amendment to increase safety setbacks between structures & wells to 300 ft in residentially zoned areas. Those who voted to include this protection: Grendell, Cafaro, Fedor, Kearney, Miller D, Miller R, Morano, Patton, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Schuring, Smith, Strahorn, Turner, Wilson. THANK YOU for trying.
  • Passed the House 3/2010 without passage of amendment to increase setbacks to 300 ft. Those who voted to include this protection (THANK YOU for trying):
    Baker Belcher Boyd Burke
    DeGeeter   Dyer Fende Foley
    Gerberry Hagan Harris Harwood
    Hollington   Moran Newcomb Patten
    Pryor Schneider  Skindell Wachtmann
    WilliamsB Williams S Yuko

 FAQs:

1. Which NE Ohio Reps got the highest number of complaints from citizens for working in favor of the gas/oil lobby while ignoring their constituents pleas for help?

Reps Mandel, Budish, and Letson

2. Who sponsored SB 165 and how much money did they get from oil and gas?

Senator Niehaus 

 

Cosponsors: Senators Gibbs, Stewart, Carey, Harris, Seitz, Hughes, Schaffer, Wilson, Cates, Wagoner, Coughlin 

Representatives Domenick, Boose, Hite, Balderson, Adams, J., Adams, R., Amstutz, Batchelder, Beck, Bubp, Carney, Chandler, Coley, Combs, Daniels, DeBose, Derickson, Evans, Gardner, Garland, Garrison, Gerberry, Grossman, Hall, Hottinger, Huffman, Koziura, Letson, Luckie, Martin, McClain, Phillips, Ruhl, Sayre, Snitchler, Stebelton, Szollosi, Uecker, Walter, Weddington, Yuko, Zehringer

Contributions from oil & gas: 

http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/contributor_details.phtml?&b=E1100&s=OH&y=2008&summary=0&so=d#sorttable