Ohio Gov. Kasich Bans Drilling in Lake Erie

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has banned oil and gas drilling in and around Lake Erie, doubling the protections already imposed by the federal government.

 

The Republican governor signed the order Wednesday that prohibits the state Department of Natural Resources from issuing drilling permits for the lake, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

 

The newspaper noted that the order essentially stops any drilling that might be taking place along the shores or that reaches under the lakebed. Federal law already prohibits drilling in the Great Lakes.

 

Kasich won praise from both sides of the aisle in the state legislature for signing the ban. But some Democrats and environmental groups say Ohio still needs a long-term policy on drilling that includes a moratorium on fracking, which Kasich has so far refused to endorse.