Ohio Releases Drilling Guidelines

Under threat of a lawsuit, Ohio officials allowed public access Thursday to guidelines for oil and gas drilling at parks and other state-owned areas, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

The Sierra Club, however, said it plans to continue legal action against the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, citing concerns about the environmental impact of allowing drilling or fracking on state lands.

The environmental group said the suit would also focus on what it called the possible failure of Ohio’s public records law because state officials did not respond to repeated requests over months for documents associated with plans to lease drilling rights.

“We want them to be more forthcoming, not just to us but to other groups and individuals in the future,” Sierra Club manager Jed Thorp told the Dispatch.

Natural resources spokesman Carlo LoParo, however, defended the agency’s delay, saying the documents weren’t ready for release until this week.