BLM to Offer 2,840 Acres in Wayne National Forest for Oil and Gas Leases
The Bureau of Land Management has announced that 2,840 acres of Ohio's only national forest, Wayne National Forest, located in Monroe and Washington counties, will be put up for bid for oil and gas leases, including fracking, on September 15th.…
Columbus, OH, July 30, 2026 —
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing to offer 2,840 acres within Ohio’s Wayne National Forest for oil and gas lease sales. The auction, scheduled for September 15th, will include parcels in Monroe and Washington counties. The leases will permit activities such as oil and gas extraction and hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking.
Wayne National Forest is the sole national forest in the state of Ohio. The proposed lease sale encompasses a significant area, raising questions about the potential scale of industrial development within the forest.
The announcement has prompted concern from various stakeholders. Environmental advocates and some state representatives have voiced apprehension regarding the potential environmental and health consequences that could arise from oil and gas operations, including fracking, in the area. Concerns have also been raised about how the scale of this proposed development compares to existing oil and gas operations in the region.
Further details regarding the specific parcels, bidding process, and any environmental assessments related to the lease sale have not been detailed in the initial announcement.
Story summarized from the original created by Megan Henry on ohiocapitaljournal.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
