Feds advance plan to open 2,800 acres of Ohio’s Wayne National Forest to fracking
Summary
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is planning to lease 2,840 acres of Ohio’s Wayne National Forest for oil and gas drilling using fracking. This move is part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to expand energy development on public lands, although environmental groups are concerned about its effects on wildlife and recreation.Key Facts
- The lease sale will cover 41 parcels totaling 2,840 acres in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest.
- The forest is divided into three separate areas located around southeast Ohio near Marietta and Parkersburg, West Virginia.
- This would be the first time fracking, a method that uses high-pressure water to extract natural gas, is allowed in this national forest.
- The lease sale is scheduled for September 15, 2026, but the winning bidders will still need federal permits to start drilling.
- Environmental groups warn that fracking threatens endangered species like the Indiana bat and could increase noise, light, and traffic.
- The Wayne National Forest already has conventional oil wells from before fracking technology was used.
- Ohio state parks and wildlife areas have also opened about 22,000 acres to oil and gas development since 2024 through GOP-supported laws.
- The Ohio Oil and Gas Association says the leasing process includes environmental reviews and public input and argues responsible energy development is possible with care for the environment.
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