<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1wXJAL_19i2oilN00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1wXJAL_19i2oilN00" width="2000" height="1500" ><figcaption>Photo via The New Political</figcaption></figure>This article was published as part of The New Political's 2026 Spring print.For anyone visiting Southeast Ohio, every travel website and local resident will instruct that Hocking Hills State Park is the place to be while in the area. The scenic views, natural beauty and water features make it a destination straight out of a utopia. However, the features of the ever-popular state park are not safe from the encroaching fracking that could threaten it. To make one thing clear: there is no fracking actively happening in Hocking Hills State Park. Katie Jones, the Ohio River Valley coordinator for FracTracker, reports that the only oil production wells stem from the 1930s. Still, the threat of oil drilling has only risen as the years pass. Jones works for the aforementioned FracTracker, which is akin to a database for oil, gas and petrochemical development. Her speciality is in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia areas and creates tools to be used by community members. The lack of fracking taking place in Southeast Ohio should inspire confidence in the preservation of the natural wonders. However, not all that glitters is gold in the realm of fracking. Ohio politicians, controlled by the Republican majority since 2009, have become more aggressive in their push for increased fracking. In 2023, Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 507 into law that requires any company to lease oil and gas interests. This would allow for fracking to occur on public land. This was a highly controversial piece of legislation that was seen as the government putting its own desires to make more money from drilling ahead of the preservation of the environment. The aftermath of this legislation is that the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission used this decision to start ramping up its efforts to lease land. These efforts were expanded and accelerated in places like Salt Fork State Park, just two hours north of Athens. Jones uses Salt Fork State Park as an example of the laterals being drilled underneath the lake. The drilling added contaminants to the water and encroached on the park itself. The contaminated water is a concern that worries a number of activist groups. Water that has been contaminated by fracking creates health issues like respiratory issues, cardiovascular issues and birth defects. “When (the companies) inject a bunch of water into the ground, it creates a bunch of cracks,” said Jones. “There have been issues where that water has communicated with old oil wells. That contaminates the drinking water and creates a whole slew of issues and health problems.” The efforts to stop fracking in state parks have been an uphill battle. Ohio Democrats introduced a bill, HB 399, in 2025 that would outlaw the practice of drilling below state parks as well as Lake Erie. However, the red majority in the Statehouse makes it a difficult task for the bill to get passed. The dilemma for lawmakers realistically gets boiled down to party lines. Republicans advocate for the increase in fracking because it provides a solid cash infusion for the state while not costing an exorbitant amount. Conversely, Democrats are critical of fracking because it negatively impacts the environment and creates irreparable damage to air pollution. In addition, Republicans are more apt to argue for fracking because of the precious natural resources it creates. These natural resources are, at least recently, being allocated to power the next wave of data centers in Ohio. Fracking is an issue that has divided citizens across the country; Pennsylvania has seen a spike in fracking as it has created more data centers. The desire for renewable energy sources means that drilling underground is the easiest way to produce more. Moreover, the revenue that is generated as a result of these natural resources can be difficult to refuse, especially if politicians have a stake in the drilling companies. For residents of Southeast Ohio, the issue is starting to creep closer to home in a literal sense. Drilling is underway at Wayne National Forest as of Jan. 2026. Wayne National Forest is the only publicly-owned forest in the state and spans 12 counties. This is not a new revelation for Appalachian residents as a whole. Any parcel of land that contains some level of natural resources has become fair game for companies to drill for renewable energy. Those against the fracking of public land harken to “The Lorax,” where the only thing that mattered was the bottom line of making money. However, the proponents of fracking would make it known that these natural resources are the key to bringing Ohio into the conversation as one of the most productive states. Like political affiliation, fracking creates a level of division that brings questions of comparing profit against physical posterity to the forefront of debates. </div></body>

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This article was published as part of The New Political's 2026 Spring print. For anyone visiting Southeast Ohio, every travel website and local resident will instruct that Hocking Hills State Park is the place to be while in the area. The scenic views, natural beauty and water features make it a destination straight out of a utopia. However, the features of the ever-popular state park are not safe from the encroaching fracking that could threaten it.

Southeast Ohio’s fracking conundrum underscores larger national dilemma

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This article was published as part of The New Political's 2026 Spring print. For anyone visiting Southeast Ohio, every travel website and local resident wi

Southeast Ohio’s fracking conundrum underscores larger national dilemma

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