WKSU Stories

Study Shows Ohio Economies Not Seeing Impact of Drilling Boom

Ideastream Public Media | By Gershon Harrell

Published February 18, 2019 at 7:01 PM EST

Drilling sites, like the one pictured here in Carroll County, can support local economies. A new study shows ones in southeastern Ohio aren't doing so.

A new study shows that the drilling boom in south east Ohio is not contributing as much as it could to the local economy.

One of the authors, Amanda Weinstein of the University of Akron, says part of this loss is because many of the workers in those drilling areas are spending their earnings elsewhere.

“Because of this leakage, what it suggests we need to make sure that we’re not ignoring these counties, thinking these counties are just fine on their own," she said. "We need to make sure these counties have the funds that they need to make sure that their infrastructure is maintained.”

Weinstein says the long term benefits of the oil and gas drilling industry, like investments in local businesses, school systems and roads are not being seen in the counties that are most impacted by the activity.