Stow Council Wants Oil, Gas Well Control in Local Hands

City wants control over placement of oil and gas wells within city limits

Members of Stow City Council continued their push for control over oil and gas drilling Monday by acting on proposed legislation that would urge the state to give local communities authority over the industry. Council's public improvements committee voted to put the resolution on Thursday night's regular council agenda for a vote. The legislation reads, in part, that the city is "requesting that Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio state legislature move swiftly to return reasonable and necessary local control to municipalities pertaining to the placement of oil and gas urban drilling." Specifically, the resolution seeks to give local officials authority to determine placement of oil and gas wells within city limits. Councilman John Pribonic said…

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Owner of Mineral Rights Could Decide Future of Gas Well on Church Property

Fracking appears to have started at a well at the Church of New Hope and the city is looking at options to stop the operation.

Stow City Council decided in August that it would not accept a contract to lease mineral rights for eight-tenths of a piece of city land needed to make a PEP Drilling hydraulic fracturing well deeper at the Church of New Hope. But the current well that was already dug prior to council's decision remained on the property and it seems as if the drilling company has decided to begin fracking despite council's decision in August.  Law Director Brian Reali said he found out last week that the state of Ohio approved a new application for the driller. He said it was obtained because the company got leases from property owners on Ritchie Road.  The application was also obtained because PEP Drilling is now claiming that the city merely owns the …

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Rasor's Blog: Gas Well Drilling, LaTourette's Retirement, Church Near City Hall Discussed

Councilman Mike Rasor shares his thoughts from the Aug. 6, 2012 City Council meeting.

UPDATE: Council Decides to Not Lease Land for Gas Well Drilling Purposes at Church of New Hope

Council decided the contract with PEP Drilling was not acceptable.

The well can remain at its current depth, but Stow City Council decided Aug. 6 that it will not accept a contract to lease mineral rights for eight-tenths of a piece of city land needed to make a PEP Drilling hydraulic fracturing well deeper at the Church of New Hope. Council's chambers were filled with clapping residents who opposed the drilling and were happy the legislation will die in committee. (Meaning, council decided it will not even vote on anything.) The last known contract offered to the city by PEP was $20,000 plus royalty money.  Fill-in Law Director Amber Kerek said she could not go into detail about the contract that was presented to council Monday evening because she could not breach attorney-client privileges. But, she …

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Blog: Should Stow City Council Lease to PEP Drilling Company?

At the end of the day, drilling utilizes scarce resources to extract scarce resources. Is this something Stow residents want in their backyard?