Necessary Roughness

I didn’t hear about this over the radio until today, but the Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer reports that in a September 22 Ohio House hearing, Columbia Gas of Ohio estimated that 1,000,000,000,000+ cubic feet (I assume standard cubic feet, since that makes sense for the industry) of natural gas lies under Lake Erie.

But there are formidable roadblocks. Gov. Bob Taft issued an executive order in 2003 banning drilling under Lake Erie, although a change in state law could overturn the order. And at the federal level, the energy bill passed this summer by Congress bans drilling under the Great Lakes.

I don’t know if “encouraging” a ban is the same as legislating one, but Section 355 of H.R. 6 as passed by our Republican-controlled House reads:

SEC. 355. ENCOURAGING GREAT LAKES OIL AND GAS DRILLING BAN.

Congress encourages no Federal or State permit or lease to be issued for new oil and gas slant, directional, or offshore drilling in or under one or more of the Great Lakes.

Governor Taft’s Executive Order doesn’t seem to be available online, but he does indicate it in a speech (link dead):

For example, last year, I signed an Executive Order to ban drilling in Lake Erie along Ohio’s coastline. Some criticized that action because it cuts off access to the natural gas resources beneath the Lake. But the fact is that there are other energy sources, including other sources of natural gas. Lake Erie is a unique ecological treasure, and the risk of damaging our precious water resources is simply not worth the potential gain.

37 degrees is forecast for tomorrow night. That was a short Fall.