Ohio Supremes: It's NOT OK to Strip Mine State Wildlife Areas
- by: Susan V
- recipient: Ohio Supreme Court
The Ohio Supreme Court, with only Justice O’Donnell dissenting, has just Ok’d strip mining on part of a state-owned wildlife area. Aside from the land surface destruction this would cause, strip mining is the last thing Ohio needs right now.
EPA’s Clean Power Plan has already determined that Ohio must reduce the carbon emissions from existing power plants 28% by 2030. But Ohio leaders seem to be thumbing their noses at these concerns in giving the go-ahead for strip mining on public lands and passing legislation making it the first state to freeze its renewable energy and energy efficiency standards.
Furthermore, Ohio has joined other states in suing the EPA over its proposed rules to cut coal-fired power plant emissions.
In jeopardy now is a part of Brush Creek, an area of “broad ridges with steep slopes”and 80% hardwoods coverage - with oak and hickory lining the ridgetops and beech, elm, ash, and tulip poplar growing on the lower slopes. This land was transferred to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the 1940s, and ultimately it belongs to the people. They, not the Ohio Supremes should decide how it is used or protected.
Tell Ohio Supreme Court justices that it’s NOT OK to strip mine state wildlife areas!
We, the undersigned, agree with Justice Terrence O’Donnell's dissenting opinion in this case.
The case involved a dispute over land transferred to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the 1940s, which reserved “all mineral rights, including rights of ingress and egress and reasonable surface right privilege.”
Justice O’Donnell made note of the fact that “the right to ‘use’ the surface cannot be reasonably construed as the right to destroy it.” And strip mining would indeed destroy the surface of this land, which actually belongs to the people of Ohio.
Clearly, with Governor Kasich's support of Ohio’s legislation to roll back renewable energy standards and a newly discovered collusion with the ODNR to push for oil and gas production on private lands, and now the Supremes ruling to OK strip mining in wildlife areas, this state is heading in the opposite direction of where it needs to be going to help it and this country reverse global warming.
We insist that it is NOT OK strip mine state wildlife areas - and the Supreme Court of Ohio has no right to allow it.
Thanks for your time.
