Ohio Passes New Drilling Law, Gov. Kasich Will Sign

Ohio’s new shale oil and gas drilling legislation (SB 315) has now passed both the House (73-19) and the Senate (21-8) and is on the way to Gov. John Kasich’s desk for his signature, which it will receive. The bill as passed is 220 pages long and wide-ranging in its scope, covering not only shale oil and gas extraction, but renewable energy, water conservation, and wastewater treatment. The bill reportedly contains some of the strictest rules in the nation for hydraulic fracturing.

So what’s in the bill? MDN doubts you want to read through 220 pages to find out. Embedded below is the 70-page summary overview version. However, here’s a few brief highlights of what’s in it:

• requires increased disclosure of fracking chemicals and water usage
• requires water well sampling within 1,500 feet of proposed horizontal wells
• requires “cradle-to-grave” documentation and tracking of oil and gas wells from the time their started until they are capped
• shipments of brine and other waste fluids have to be disclosed before injection into disposal wells, with additional requirements for brine transporters
• requires increased inspections of wells and liability insurance coverage for well owners
• requires oil and gas permits to be posted online for public review within two days of approval
• enables property owners or others adversely affected by fracking fluids can sue to force drillers to release details of proprietary chemical mixtures
• requires well owners to submit quarterly reports on brine and waste-fluid disposal*

*Youngstown (OH) The Vindicator (May 25, 2012) – Ohio legislators OK overhaul of drilling laws

See also:

• Marietta (OH) The Marietta Times/AP (May 25, 2012) – Ohio legislators approve new drilling rules