Politicians in Athens County have made it clear they have a lot of questions about hydraulic fracturing.
Now a new survey to be conducted by an Ohio University researcher may give them, and anyone else, a one-stop-shop for answers by the end of the year.
Sara Boyd, senior group leader at OU’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, is leading a project to survey public officials about the impact of fracking in 17 eastern Ohio counties.
Boyd said the survey asks mayors, city and village managers, county commissioners and township trustees about the impact fracking has in each of their jurisdictions, including how the practice affects the local economy, public safety, housing and property, and environment and infrastructure.
Boyd said the survey is the first of its kind in Ohio. She’s heard back from 200 to 300 officeholders since mailing the surveys about three weeks ago — a response rate of 40 to 60 percent.
Public officials from areas with fracking as far north as Trumbull County and as south as Washington County were polled for the survey, Boyd said, adding that she hopes politicians in Athens County can look at the survey’s results and craft a more holistic stance on fracking.
“If shale (drilling) comes to Athens, it would be great to be prepared,” she said.
Athens County Commissioner Charlie Adkins, a Democrat, said he’s looking forward to reading the survey results, which Boyd expects to be released by this year’s end. He said he’s curious to see the perspectives of fellow county commissioners in eastern Ohio.
“If (fracking) comes to Athens and we start receiving income, we need to take a very, very long look at the effects,” he said. “There’s no question in some areas, (fracking) has a lot of good and in some areas a lot of bad.”
Boyd enlisted Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason, a Democrat, and Alexander Township Trustee Brian Grubbs to provide input and craft questions for the survey.
Should fracking companies seek to set up shop in Athens County, Grubbs said he’d welcome the additional jobs but any economic boost would come with potential downfalls, of which he’d expect the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agency to closely monitor.
“I don’t see anything as being a problem as long as it’s regulated,” Grubbs said. “…The environment was among our biggest concerns, but so was the safety of the public.”
sh335311@ohiou.edu
@SamuelHHoward
FAST FACT:
- Types of questions: local economy, public safety, housing and property, and environment and infrastructure
- Respondents, as of Aug. 26: 200-300
- Counties involved: 17
