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Fracking Ohio state parks should not fund tax cuts for the rich • Ohio Capital Journal [1]

['Cathy Cowan Becker', 'Rob Moore', 'Marilou Johanek', 'More From Author', 'June', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar']

Date: 2025-06-27

During the lame duck session of 2022, the Ohio legislature passed HB 507, a bill ostensibly about the sale of baby chicks, but loaded up with last-minute oil and gas amendments — including one that required fracking of Ohio state parks and public lands.

Since then, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has sold out our ne public land after another for fracking — including thousands of acres of Ohio’s iconic Salt Fork State Park. Frack well pads are now beginning to surround the park.

Fracking has begun at Valley Run Wildlife Area, and slated to begin soon at Zepernick, Egypt Valley, Keen, Leesville, and Jockey Hollow wildlife areas.

Flat tax and budget cuts

Shortly after Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 507, then-Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman told the Ohio Oil and Gas Association that fracking our public lands is a “great revenue generator” for tax cuts.

“We’re talking about a flat tax right now, perhaps eliminating it,” Huffman said. “Well, where’s that revenue going to come from?”

Now we know the answer.

This week, a Conference Committee comprised of leaders from the House and Senate finance committees met at 10:30 p.m. — with only 19 minutes notice — to amend and pass HB 96, Ohio’s two-year operating budget bill. It contains a bevy of favors for the oil and gas industry — including fracking our state parks to fund tax cuts for the rich.

During the final days of testimony in the months-long budget bill process, the Ohio Senate amended HB 96 to include a flat tax — cutting taxes for Ohioans making over $100,000 per year from 3.5% to 2.75% — then cutting agency budget lines to make up the difference.

Among items on the chopping block is Fund 730321, the Parks and Recreation budget for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. This is money used to staff and maintain our state parks and wildlife areas. The Senate budget cut this fund in half for 2026 — from $55 million to $27.5 million.

Where did the Senate tell ODNR to make up the difference? From Fund 5BJ1 ALI 7256A6, the State Park Land Royalties Fund — or money that ODNR gets from fracking.

Fracking revenue becomes operating revenue

Until now, fracking royalties have been used only for special projects that improve state parks. Now the money will be used for half the parks’ operating expenses — making ODNR even more dependent on fracking for basic revenue, and making the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission even more likely to approve fracking operations.

This is folly. The oil and gas industry is notoriously boom and bust. Fracking revenue is not guaranteed, and production at frack wells often drops steeply within a few years.

In addition, wells can be shut down on short notice. Accidents happen — public records show that an oil and gas incident in Ohio every 1.5 days. In addition, ODNR recently shut down a frack pad in Noble County because of increased earthquakes caused by high-pressurized fracking.

Further, fracking puts at risk an industry near our parks that reliably produces income: tourism. Who wants to compete with thousands of brine trucks on rural roads to visit a park surrounded by the noise, light, and pollution of the fracking industry?

Finally ,contrary to statements by state Sen. Jerry Cirino, the people of Ohio who own and use our public lands do not want to see these lands fracked. Public comments on nominations to frack public land routinely run 98% opposed.

Even more oil and gas favors

Making our parks dependent on fracking isn’t the only favor to the oil and gas industry in the hastily approved state budget. Other fossil fuel goodies include:

Lengthening fracking leases on public lands for up to 10 years, instead of the current three years.

Requiring ODNR to fast-track fracking leases in 30 days, rushing a process that is supposed to include multiple provisions to protect our public lands.

Prohibiting state agencies from requiring any additional fees beyond those specified in the lease, which could prevent fines for pollution or cleanup after an accident.

Allowing fracked gas projects, now defined by our legislature as “green energy,” to receive air quality revenue bonds, despite their methane pollution.

Cutting the Oil and Gas Well Fund responsible for plugging orphan wells by eliminating filing fees.

Next steps for the state budget

HB 96 now goes to Gov. DeWine, who has until June 30 to sign it. Unlike for most bills, the governor has line-item veto power for anything budget related. In past budget years, DeWine has not hesitated to use his veto power.

Will DeWine, who professes publicly to love our state parks, veto the items that will degrade and destroy them? Or will he blithely stand behind the supermajority legislature that favors fossil fuels over renewable energy like wind, solar, and geothermal?

One thing is clear: The people of Ohio own and use our state parks, wildlife areas, and public lands – and we do not want them to be fracked just to provide tax cuts for the rich.

Cathy Cowan Becker is board president of Save Ohio Parks, a volunteer citizens group concerned about fracking of our state parks, wildlife areas and other public lands.

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