Munroe Falls City council passed a resolution last night requesting a moratorium on gas/oil drilling until a proper study is conducted regarding its possible impact on the local environment, particularly the water supply. The vote was unanimous.
Mayor Larson said he has also been in contact with the governor's office again and has made a similar, personal request to the governor to put the drilling on hold. He said he hopes to receive a response soon.
Law Director Morrison said he is dealing with the attempts by Beck Energy to force drilling at the Falls church site. He is also in contact with CF and Silver Valley to give us a larger collective voice.
I spoke with Mr. Bill Zawiski at Ohio EPA yesterday. He informed me that he has no idea what impact the gas/oil well might have on our water, since no formal study has been done. He suggested that the services of a hydrogeologist would needed to make a more accurate assessment of the well site's suitability. He also told me that (as we have stated here before) ODNR is under no legal obligation to request or follow EPA recommendations. Indeed, to the best of our knowledge, ODNR has requested no formal study. Currently, Ohio EPA is called in only to clean up problems created by drilling--after the fact.
Local residents deserve the right to participate meaningfully in decisions that may have a large impact on their environment and quality of life. They also deserve access to factual evidence supporting or opposing these decisions.
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