Farmer sues ODA for failing to defend preserved farmland on pipeline route
Monday, July 26, 2021
An Ohio farmer is suing the Ohio Department of Agriculture and Columbia Gas of Ohio to attempt to stop a natural gas pipeline from running through preserved farmland, according to Farm and Dairy.
The attorneys representing the Bailey family filed a pair of lawsuits on July 12.
The first lawsuit claims the Ohio Department of Agriculture is not enforcing the terms of the agriculture easement, which prohibits any industrial activity on the farm unless it is strictly to benefit the farm.
The second lawsuit requests an injunction prohibiting the installation of the pipeline on the farm and a declaration that the ag easement, Ohio law and federal law prohibit the installation of the pipeline on the protected property.
Learn more: Farm and Dairy > Union Co. farmer sues ODA over pipeline on preserved farmland
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.