COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) – Democratic lawmakers are proposing legislation to ban oil and gas drilling under Lake Erie.
They say they’re concerned about the future of federal protections currently in place for Lake Erie. And while federal law currently prohibits drilling under the Great Lakes, the bill’s sponsors say the state needs to enact its own protections.
House Bill 399 also looks to ban drilling under Ohio’s state parks.
“It’s really incumbent upon us as state officials to take action and make sure that our lakes and bodies of water are protected, park spaces are protected from potentially harmful activity, especially when we know the federal government’s not going to swoop in and come to our aid if some disaster does happen,” said the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Tristan Rader, (D-Lakewood).
Canada currently allows drilling under Lake Erie on the Ontario side.
Lawmakers passed legislation in 2022, opening the door for fracking under Ohio’s public lands. Environmental advocates argued against the change at the time. An explosion on a well pad near Salt Fork State Park in January renewed calls from opponents to outlaw drilling on public lands, citing concerns about the impact on wildlife areas and the environment.
“We don’t want to see fracking and oil wells and rigs in the Great Lakes,” Rader said. “It sounds extreme, but I’m afraid of the direction the country is taking on this type of energy. We need a balanced approach. I think protecting these spaces would be a great step in the right direction,” he said.
The bill faces an uphill climb in the Republican-controlled legislature.
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This article was published by WTVG on 2025-10-16 16:51:00
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