Leesville Wildlife Area back on the chopping block

Last July, an unnamed oil and gas company submitted two nominations to frack a total of 128 acres of Leesville Wildlife Area in Carroll County.

Now the company has withdrawn one of its previous nominations for 62 acres and submitted a third nomination for 171 acres — seeking a total of 233 of the 394 acres of Leesville Wildlife Area.

Please comment on the latest nomination for Leesville Wildlife Area to tell the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission that you do not support fracking in Leesville Wildlife Area.

If you commented on the previous Leesville Wildlife Area nominations, you can use your same comment again. Find your comment on the previous Leesville nomination here.

Please visit the Nomination Comment Form, choose Nomination #24-DNR-0009, and submit your comment.

Leesville Wildlife Area is best known for its large and beautiful Leesville Lake, which is the backup water supply for nearby Carrollton. The state first purchased the land in 1944 and has since planted thousands of trees while protecting and improving woodlands and open fields to maintain biodiversity.

Leesville Wildlife Area is home to forest species such as deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and other furbearers. Migratory birds and songbirds are abundant, and black bears are seen occasionally. The wildlife area is used for hunting, hiking, fishing, birdwatching and nature study. Boats are allowed on Leesville Lake with a maximum of 10 horsepower.

None of these uses are compatible with fracking. Please visit the Nomination Comment Form, choose Nomination #24-DNR-0009, and submit your comment.

You are welcome to draw from our sample letter below — but please personalize to explain why preserving our wildlife areas is important to you:

To the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission:

I am writing to strongly oppose fracking of Leesville Wildlife Area. This wildlife area is widely used for hunting, hiking, fishing, bird watching, and nature study. None of this is compatible with the noise, toxic chemicals, air pollution, methane leaks, lights, and numerous truck trips entailed in any fracking operation.

ODNR acquired the land that makes up Leesville Wildlife Area starting in 1944, and has since worked hard to plant trees and restore woodlands and open fields. Numerous species call Leesville home, including deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and other furbearers. Migratory birds and songbirds are abundant, and black bears are seen occasionally.

Of particular concern is what will happen to the large and beautiful Leesville Lake, which is the backup water supply for Carrollton. Fracking requires tens of millions of gallons of water per frack. This water is laced with toxic chemicals including the forever chemicals PFAS. This water is then injected deep into the earth to break up the rock and release the gas. When the water comes back up, it brings back radioactive elements. It can never be put back into the water cycle again. Instead it is typically disposed of in injection wells — which are known to leak. Six injection wells in Athens County had to be closed because their toxic contents are leaking.

Where will the water to frack Leesville Wildlife Area come from? If hundreds of millions of gallons of water are taken from Leesville Lake, or from the streams and runs that feed Leesville Lake, that will change the chemistry of the water so important to these habitats. Ohio is already experiencing a drought – taking so much water for fracking will only make it worse.

The people of Ohio pay for and use our public lands, including Leesville Wildlife Area. We do not want to see oil and gas extraction from this land. Enough is enough. Please DENY nomination 24-DNR-0009, and preserve Leesville as it was meant to be.

Thank you.

Please visit the Nomination Comment Form, choose Nomination #24-DNR-0009, and submit your comment.

The deadline to comment on the latest nomination for Leesville Wildlife Area is October 24, 2024.

Photo credit: Ryan Murray