The Commoner Journal

By Paul McManis

Commoner Journal staff writer

The fracking process is slowly moving its way westward across Ohio. Wednesday night's meeting helped Vinton County residents prepare for might what happen if it reaches the county. (Photos by Paul McManis)

McARTHUR — With interest in land leasing for hydraulic fracking projects growing and moving westward, two Vinton County organizations pulled together to ensure area residents are prepared for what may be on the county’s horizon in the near future.

Fracking is part of a natural gas extraction technique that involves fracturing shale rock thousands of feet beneath the surface to release natural gas that can be tapped by mining companies and used for energy. The mining companies ask residents who own land on top of the shale rock to lease their land.

The Vinton County OSU Extension Office and the Vinton County Soil and Water Conservation District Office hosted a public meeting Wednesday night to provide information to area communities and help residents understand the land-leasing process.

The groups invited OSU Extension educators Chris Penrose from Morgan County and Clif Little from Guernsey County — a duo that has traveled the state for the same purpose.

More than 100 people attended the meeting, including various county and village officials, land owners and others who were just curious about fracking and what changes it may bring to the area.

The educators said they felt their purpose was not to reach a crowd that has already been hit with land-leasing inquiries, but to prepare communities before they put in situations that involve poor decision making. They said a very small number of the residents at the meeting said they have been contacted to lease their land.

OSU Extension educators Chris Penrose from Morgan County and Clif Little from Guernsey County answered residents' questions about land leasing and the fracking process.

“It’s coming from the east to the west,” Penrose said. “We’re getting ahead of the curve. We don’t want to be behind this wave.”

Penrose and Little offered in-depth analysis on land leasing and drilling, which both educators said they were neither for nor against.

Penrose said the process has the potential to be life changing in both positive and negative ways. He said people can benefit by receiving large bonus payments, large royalties and building the economy of communities. He also mentioned the negative effects, including poor financial planning, rapidly diminishing royalties, changes to property, gas lines, possible water issues, affected relationships with family and neighbors, lack of understanding or following contracts, increased traffic and a changed community.

Penrose said residents should ask themselves if fracking comes to the area, what they are willing to give up if they do lease their land. He said residents should take these factors into consideration when contemplating leasing their land, but said no decision should be made without the help of an attorney to ensure residents are not being taken advantage of. Little echoed Penrose on the issue.

“These leases are much to complicated to do by yourself,” Little said. “Always use an attorney.”

Currently, Penrose said there are 177 wells in Ohio that have been used for fracking purposes, but aside from the positives stemming from the energy taken from these wells, there are negative effects that have been reported, including environmental issues.

Penrose said one well was recently shut down in Youngstown because of nearby earthquakes, caused by a fault line being within 100 meters of the well.

With both possible outcomes in mind, Penrose said the biggest question of the night is regarding how far west the procedure can be properly conducted. Projections show a portion of Vinton County falling into the potential development area, but Penrose said there is no way of telling yet if fracking can even be completed effectively in the county.

After the meeting, Travis West, of the extension office, said he is pleased with the outcome of the meeting and he’s glad people were able to learn in advance before the topic builds more interest in the area.

“We just want people to be ahead of this,” West said.

He said Cody Hacker, of the conservation district, contacted him about having a meeting on the topic back in November or December. After that, the two offices brought in Penrose and Little because of their knowledge and expertise on the topic.

“Chris and Clif have done a lot of programs in the state. It just makes sense to get them in the area,” West said.

Hacker said he too was pleased with the outcome of the meeting and glad to see the community so involved. He said their involvement will pay off in the end if fracking comes further into the area.

“If you watch it come across the state, it’s coming westward. My thought is it’s time to get ahead of it,” Hacker said. “That is the advantage Vinton County has in this. We can watch the counties east of us and their mistakes and try not to repeat them.”

For more information, contact the extension office at 740-596-5212 or the conservation district at 740-596-5676.