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Great Lakes
Article:
Redfern
reintroduces ban on gas, oil drilling in Erie
Leo Shane III
Columbus Bureau
02/07/2003
COLUMBUS -- House Minority Leader
Chris Redfern on Thursday reintroduced a bill to permanently
ban oil and gas drilling in Lake Erie, and believes the
measure will have more support this session than in past
years.
The measure, which floundered in
committee last session, comes as Gov. Bob Taft is finalizing
an executive order to permanently ban drilling in the
lake. Spokesman Orest Holubec said no date has been set
for that announcement, but the governor is committed to
protecting Lake Erie.
Redfern, of Catawba Island, said
Taft's impending action has already encouraged House member
to discuss the issue, and in some cases Republicans have
offered their support.
"We do need this bill. Executive
measures are only as good as long as the person is in
office," he said. "A new governor could come in and lift
his ban."
Environmental groups have pushed
for a ban -- either from the governor or legislature --
for several years, insisting that drilling and pipeline
spills could cause irreparable harm to the lake's ecosystem.
Last month the state's Department
of Natural Resources announced they would support a permanent
ban as well.
Redfern said the importance of the
lake to the state's tourism industry makes the small amount
of resources oil companies could extract too risky to
explore.
Michigan is the only state among
the eight bordering the Great Lakes that permits onshore
drilling, but none allow it in the lake. Canadian officials
do allow drilling within their waterways, and environmental
experts and industry officials have sparred over its environmental
effects.
Rep. Jeff Wagner, R-Sycamore, said
he doesn't see anyone planning to drill in Lake Erie in
the foreseeable future.
"Somebody is just trying to score
political points here," he said.
While Wagner is not yet committed
for or against the bill, he does have some concerns with
a permanent ban.
"Certainly at this time I don't see
any need to drill in Lake Erie," he said. "But with the
word 'permanent' in there, a lot can change over time.
In 50 years we might be in an energy crisis or an all-out
war.
"Permanent is a long time."
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