OH Agency of Natural Resources Promoted Fracking on State Land
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the agency assigned to regulate oil-and-gas drilling in Ohio, developed a wide-ranging public-relations campaign in August 2012 to sell Ohioans on fracking in some state parks and forests. It was never officially implemented.
The 10-page memo recognized that the public-relations initiative could blur public perception of ODNRs regulatory role in oil and gas, which would require precise messaging and coordination to counteract.
The memo also warned about the need to overcome zealous resistance by environmental-activist opponents who are skilled propagandists. Opponents of hydraulic fracturing would attempt to create public panic about possible health risks, brand the policies of Gov. John Kasich as dangerous and radical, and attempt to legally and physically disrupt or halt the drilling projects, including staging dangerous protests on state lands. The latter would necessitate sustained legal countermeasures and crisis readiness by the state.
At the same time, fracking interests such as Halliburton and other supporters/participants of economic oil & gas development in Ohio would be enlisted to minimize public concern about the drilling and convince the public of its benefits, including millions of dollars for park improvements.
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http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/14/newly-released-2012-memo-details-defense-plan-against-fracking-opponents.html