COLUMBUS — “Shale gas drilling has taken the nation by storm and quickly made its way into Ohio. A watchdog group also is setting up shop to provide citizens with an unbiased source of data and analysis.
The FracTracker Alliance says it’s gathering information to increase awareness about the impact of hydraulic fracturing in Ohio. Its executive director, Brook Lenker, cites a dramatic increase in drilling in the past 18 months, with about 300 wells now in the state.
‘Shale gas activity is ramping up significantly in the eastern half of Ohio. Drilling is increasing daily, and we want to get better data sets, provide better service to all the folks who are interested in those issues in Ohio.’
Since early 2011, Lenker says, Utica shale permits in Ohio increased from just a few per month to more than 30 per month. The website fractracker.org provides mapping and visualization of data as well as a forum for comments on the effects of fracking on the environment and communities.”
— Mary Kuhlman, Public News Service
