Tell the Commission: Leave Valley Run Wildlife Area alone!

Last year the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission approved three different nominations of Valley Run Wildlife Area for fracking. Encino Acquisitions Partners — bankrolled by the Canadian Pension Plan — got the bids to do all this fracking.

Now an unnamed oil and gas company has nominated Valley Run Wildlife Area again for fracking — and yet again we need to tell the commission to DENY this nomination.

Valley Run is a 304-acre wildlife area in Carroll County, named for the stream that runs through it. Originally part of the adjacent Harrison Hills Campground, it was slated to be developed as campsites before the Ohio Department of Natural Resources purchased it from the county in 2000.

Valley Run is now a wooded wildlife area, home to diverse species such as turkeys, grouse, squirrels, deer, rabbit, box turtles, and amphibians. Songbirds include kingfishers, wood ducks, woodpeckers, flycatchers, catbirds, orioles, and red-tailed hawks. Former logging roads provide excellent hiking and wildlife viewing.

Unfortunately, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has already approved Encino to frack across almost all of Valley Run’s 304 acres. The latest nomination is for the last 3.6 acres.

Tell the Commission: Enough fracking of Valley Run! Please visit the Nomination Comment Form, choose Nomination #24-DNR-0010, 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 the continued fracking of Valley Run Wildlife Area. Already you have approved Encino Acquisition Partners, which is bankrolled by the Canadian Pension Plan, to frack over 300 acres of Valley Run. Less than four acres are left untouched.

I ask you to DENY the nomination to frack the tiny scrap of land in this wildlife area that is left.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources purchased the land that makes up Valley Run Wildlife Area from Carroll County in 2000. This land is home to a variety of tree species. Former logging roads provide hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Users can see such diverse species as turkeys, grouse, squirrels, deer, rabbit, box turtles, and amphibians. Songbirds include kingfishers, wood ducks, woodpeckers, flycatchers, catbirds, orioles, and red-tailed hawks.

None of this is compatible with the noise, toxic chemicals, air pollution, methane leaks, lights, and numerous truck trips entailed in any fracking operation.

The people of Ohio pay for and use our public lands, including Valley Run Wildlife Area. We do not want to see oil and gas extraction from this land. Enough is enough. Please DENY nomination 24-DNR-0010, and leave the last few acres of Valley Run alone.

Thank you.

Please visit the Nomination Comment Form, choose Nomination #24-DNR-0010, and submit your comment.

The deadline to comment on the latest nomination for Valley Run Wildlife Area is December 7, 2024.