Op-Ed Defends Utica Shale Drilling and Its Effect on Ohio Counties
From Crain's Cleveland Business:
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Ted Auch argues in a Aug. 26 op-ed that opponents of the Lake Erie offshore wind project should be swayed to support the project by guilt over Cleveland's reliance on Utica shale natural gas development for much of its energy needs. His rationale is based on his contention that fracking has made the rural region of the state where Utica development has occurred a sacrifice zone rife with economic and environmental devastation.
But Cleveland residents can rest assured — there is no need to lose sleep over using natural gas produced here in the Buckeye State, because most people who live along the Ohio River simply don't share Auch's view on the shale development taking place in their corner of the state. If they did, one would think "Keep It in the Ground" gubernatorial candidate Dennis Kucinich's "ban fracking" campaign would have captured at least 25% of the vote in one of the state's top-10 natural gas producing counties in the May Democratic primary. But it didn't. Not even close in those counties. And for good reason — there is also simply no factual evidence to support Kucinich and Auch's anti-fracking claims.Read on by clicking here.
For example, Auch repeats the common myth that "very few of the jobs in the Appalachian shale fields, or pipeline construction sector, go to Ohioans, let alone union members." But in fact, shale-related activities have supported thousands of union jobs in Ohio. As Ohio Laborers District Council pipeline specialist Ray Hipsher recently said, "The shale industry is hiring local workforce. That's going to keep the money in the community, and the laborers doing the work are going to take pride and care of the quality of their work, because we are your neighbors."
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