Plans to allow fracking in Ohio state parks appear to be dead for now after lawmakers removed the provision from a bill making its way through the state legislature.
Democratic State Representative David Leland says he is pleased that lawmakers have struck out part of a bill being considered by the Ohio House that would allow fracking in state parks – though backers said it would have been thousands of feet underground.
“When you have a 12-0 vote in a committee made up of both Democrats and Republicans who oppose fracking in state parks, which is what this vote demonstrates, I think it’s a pretty strong message to the legislature and the people of the state of Ohio,” Leland says.
“And it’s a bipartisan message, which I think makes it even stronger.”
The House hasn’t passed the bill, but it is expected to take it up on the floor this week.