Ohio State University Extension is hosting a workshop on shale energy development on Nov. 10.

“Shale and You: A Workshop for Landowners and Communities” will be held at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center, 7033 Glenn Highway, Cambridge, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Registration is $10 and must be received by Monday, Nov. 5, by the Guernsey County office of OSU Extension in Old Washington, Ohio. Registration forms with the office’s address and other details can be downloaded (PDF) at http://go.osu.edu/shaleandyouPDF or by going to http://shalegas.osu.edu and clicking on the “Shale and You” event under “Upcoming Extension Events.”

“What we hope to do is help landowners and community leaders make the best decisions possible,” Hall said. “We’re not attempting to discuss the pros and cons of such development — that’s something for individuals and policy-makers to consider. As an educational institution, OSU Extension simply aims to provide relevant information to help inform those who are dealing with shale energy development.”

The workshop will include presentations by OSU Extension educators on:
• Update on Ohio Shale Development and Activity, by Chris Penrose, OSU Extension educator in Morgan County.
• Community and Strategic Planning, by Eric Romich, OSU Extension field specialist in energy development.
• Tax Issues for Communities and Landowners, by Dave Marrison, OSU Extension educator in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties.
• What to Do When “Sudden Wealth Happens,” by Polly Loy, OSU Extension educator in Belmont County.
• Leasing Issues for Farms and Rural Land, by Clif Little, OSU Extension educator in Guernsey County, and Peggy Hall, OSU Extension Agricultural Law Program.
• Pumping the Product: Pipeline Easements and Construction, by Mark Landefeld, OSU Extension educator in Monroe County, and Chris Zoller, OSU Extension educator in Tuscarawas County.
• Natural Resource Issues: Where to Find Helpful Resources, by Steve Schumacher, OSU Extension educator in Belmont County, and Mike Lloyd, OSU Extension educator in Noble County.
• A Landowner’s Point of View, featuring Schumacher and a panel of landowners who have dealt with shale development directly.

The program ends with “What If Problems Arise,” featuring a panel of Extension educators and moderated by Dale Arnold of the Ohio Farm Bureau. In addition, tables with information in the lobby of the auditorium will be staffed throughout the afternoon to allow participants to get more information on issues they are specifically concerned about, Hall said. “OSU Extension has been a leader in providing educational programs to landowners and community leaders who are being confronted with what are sometimes very difficult decisions about this issue,” Hall said. “We’ve offered more than a hundred educational sessions on topics such as lease agreements and pipeline easements in the last two years and have reached more than 12,000 people. But this is the first time we’ve pulled together a program with so much of our expertise in one place. I think it will be a valuable program for anyone interested in learning more about these issues.”

By Martha Filipic
Source: Peggy Kirk Hall
614-247-7898
aglaw@osu.edu

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