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2 sources·Started 7d ago·Updated 7d ago
Feds advance plan to frack 2,800 acres in Ohio's Wayne National Forest
Wayne National ForestU.S. Bureau of Land ManagementOhiofrackingMariettaParkersburgWendy ParkMike Chadsey
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The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced a lease sale for September 2026 opening 2,840 acres of Wayne National Forest to oil and gas development, marking a major step toward fracking in Ohio's only national forest. Source: AP News
The lease includes 41 parcels near Marietta, Ohio, and Parkersburg, West Virginia. Although a drilling permit is still required, critics say approval is nearly certain. Source: AP News
- The move follows political efforts since at least 2016 to allow fracking in Wayne. Source: AP News
- Environmental groups oppose the plan, citing threats to endangered Indiana bats and recreational use. Source: AP News
- The Ohio Oil and Gas Association defends the process as transparent and based on years of environmental review. Source: AP News
Environmental attorney Wendy Park questioned whether any place in Ohio is safe from fracking, while industry spokesman Mike Chadsey emphasized responsible energy development and stewardship. Source: AP News The sale is part of a broader Trump administration push to open public lands to energy, including shrinking national monuments and rolling back regulations.
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“drawing immediate praise from the energy industry and sharp criticism from environmental advocates.”
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“The federal government took a major step forward Friday toward opening more than 2,800 acres of Ohio’s only national forest to oil and gas development.”
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“Although some bureaucratic hurdles remain, a lease sale brings fracking the forest for the first time – the subject of political effort since at least 2016 – far closer to fruition”
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“She said fracking threatens wildlife, including the Indiana bat, a designated endangered species.”
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“Mike Chadsey, a spokesman for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, said 'unconventional' wells ... would be new in the Wayne.”