In a controversial decision made by the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission on Wednesday, some state parks in Ohio will now be open to fracking. This comes despite an ongoing investigation into oil and gas companies for possible fraudulent support. The commission approved several parcels owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Transportation for fracking by outside entities, including state parks and designated wildlife areas.

The meeting where the decision was made was attended by many fracking opponents who voiced their dissent. Anti-fracking protesters held up signs that read “DENY” and "Save Our Parks," while advocates accused the state board members of lacking transparency and prioritizing corporate interests over the well-being of future generations. Some protesters even went as far as throwing money in front of the commissioners and shouting them out of the meeting. Others sang protest songs and chanted slogans like "Don't frack our futures" and "Shame."

Cathy Cowan Becker, a member of Save Ohio Parks, expressed disappointment with the decision but vowed to continue showing up to meetings. She highlighted the contradiction between the scientific evidence calling for a reduction in oil and gas activities and the decision to allow fracking in state parks. "At a time when the science is telling us we have to stop all the oil and gas, instead we're doing this in our parks," Cowan Becker said. "We're rightfully really angry about this."

This decision marks the first of its kind in Ohio, although laws allowing fracking have been in place since 2011. The legislation, implemented under former Governor John Kasich, called for state-owned land to be leased for oil and gas exploration and development. However, the formation of the commission was not formalized until December of 2022, during the tenure of current Governor Mike DeWine. A bill similar to the 2011 legislation was signed by DeWine, leading to the commission's first meeting.

During a previous commission meeting, Chairperson Ryan Richardson emphasized that no surface areas of the parks would be disturbed by oil and gas drilling, as it would occur underground. However, the meeting on Wednesday was overshadowed by the boos and chants of environmental advocates in the room. A spokesperson for Richardson mentioned that she would respond to reporters' questions later in the day.

Fracking is already a polarizing topic, but the ongoing accusations of fraudulent support have added even more tension to the vote. An investigation by Cleveland.com in September found that over a hundred Ohio residents claimed their names were attached to form letters supporting fracking, which were sent to the commission without their knowledge. Among the names were a nine-year-old girl and a blind woman. These form letters, which appear over a thousand times in the public comment database, urged the Ohio government to lease rights to minerals under Salt Fork State Park and other areas. The energy alliance responsible for collecting and verifying these names denies any wrongdoing and has called Cleveland.com's coverage "libelous."

This is not the first time the energy alliance has faced accusations of using residents' names without permission. Similar allegations were made against the group in Wisconsin in 2014, Ohio in 2016, and South Carolina in 2018. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced in September that he would investigate any possible crimes committed through the use of these letters. A spokesperson for Yost confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing and no further details can be shared at this time.

Environmental advocates and state Democrats have called on Yost to provide an update on the investigation before the Wednesday vote. House Minority Leader Allison Russo stated that a thorough investigation is necessary to ensure that any state processes involving public input are free from corruption. The energy alliance has stated that it is fully cooperating with Yost's office. Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Andy Chow urged anyone whose name was used without their knowledge to contact the commission so their name can be removed from public comment.

With the approval of the parcels, a confidential bidding process will now take place, allowing organizations to bid for the rights to frack on the land. The decision has raised concerns among environmentalists who fear the potential damage to the state parks and wildlife areas. As the controversy surrounding fracking in Ohio parks continues, the debate over the intersection of energy needs and environmental preservation remains at the forefront.