Several state legislators are calling for a legislative hearing over a communications strategy regarding a pro-fracking campaign exposed in a recently released memo that links an extensive marketing ploy to Gov. John Kasich’s office.
The memo, dated Aug. 20, 2012, outlined an extensive plan to sway public opinion in favor of fracking through op-ed articles in newspapers, meetings with public officials and conference calls with “targeted opinion leaders,” among other tactics.
The 10-page memo reads (with the italics): “As ODNR opens certain state park and forest land to horizontal drilling …the department will begin communications to important audiences to build understanding, foster support, counter opponents’ criticism and minimize public concerns regarding the initiative.”
The memo points to “allied groups,” and specifically names Kasich’s office, JobsOhio, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Oil and Gas association, multiple chambers of commerce and the multinational oil company Halliburton.
The released memo names the Ohio Sierra Club, Ohio Environmental Council and other environmental groups as “opposition groups.”
The memo named representatives Robert Hagan, D-Youngstown, and Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, as opponents to the measure.
“Clearly we need answers to find out if the public trust has been compromised on behalf of big gas and oil,” Antonio said in a joint release with Hagan. “I am stunned to find that perhaps the fox is actually in the henhouse.”
Bethany McCorkle, spokeswoman for Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said no action was taken against possible opponents, as the plan was never implemented.
“Once again the Kasich administration has shown more interest in playing politics with state resources than using them to do their job,” Ohio Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Athens, said in a news release. “It’s troubling to see that ODNR planned to include big oil companies like Halliburton in their messaging campaign, while dismissing citizen concerns as emotional.”
Kasich’s spokesman, Rob Nichols, balked at that argument.
“Of course the administration is going to coordinate and plan ahead on an important issue like gas production on state land,” Nichols said. “If we didn’t, these same extremist groups would be attacking us for not planning ahead.”
Hagan, in the joint release with Antonio, also condemned the policy.
“The governor is quick to jump in bed with Halliburton and the oil and gas companies, with no apparent regard for the legitimate concerns of Ohio citizens,” Hagan said. “This document raises a lot of questions regarding taxpayer resources being used to play politics, and taxpayers deserve answers.”
Sam Howard is a fellow in Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Statehouse News Bureau.
sh335311@ohiou.edu
@SamuelHHoward
ld3117101@ohiou.edu
@lucasdaprile
This article appeared in print under the headline "Lawmakers blast fracking plan"
