In September of 2016 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced its plan to lease up to 40,000 acres of the Marietta Unit of Wayne National Forest (Ohio’s only national forest) to gas and oil companies for unconventional hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Over the past year and a half, the BLM has leased about 2,400 acres through online auctions on the website of Texas-based firm EnergyNet.com, and has its fifth auction planned for March 22nd.
Last month the US Forest Service announced that the agency will be updating its Resource Management Plan for the Wayne. This process, which will help determine the Wayne’s future, will take a couple of years, and includes opportunities for public participation, starting with a series of open house meetings in late March and early April of this year. While leasing will continue during this process, this may be our best chance at securing better protections for the Wayne.
According to USFS:
This first round of meetings is primarily intended to inform the public about the 2012 Planning Rule and the Plan Revision process, and to provide information about the various opportunities that will exist to collaborate in the development of the new plan. It will also be an opportunity for members of the Plan Revision team to meet some of the citizens who want to participate. Additional opportunities to collaborate in the development of the new plan will occur at various locations throughout the spring and summer of 2018.
Keep Wayne Wild hopes that USFS will take our concerns about the threats fracking poses to our air, water, wildlife habitat, and climate seriously, and will update the plan to reflect the needs and concerns of locally and globally impacted communities.
Please join us in attending an upcoming meeting and get involved in this process so that we can work together to defend what we love!
Meeting Schedule
Jackson, Ohio March 26th 6:00pm-8:00pm, 17 Standpipe Rd., Jackson, OH
Athens, Ohio March 27th 6:00pm-8:00pm, 360 E State St, Athens, OH
Ironton, Ohio March 29th 6:00pm-8:00pm, 1804 Liberty Ave., Ironton, OH
Webinar April 14th 10am
Learn more about fracking in Wayne National Forest here: