NARO OHIO: 2021 In Review and
2022 Look Ahead
2021 was a tipping point for our Chapter. We obtained a place on the table with the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas Resource Management (ODNR DOGRM) by being
recognized as one of their Interested Parties. This was particularly important for their five (5) year rule
review and rule creation. We supported our Utica operators by working with them to support the DNR’s
change in operating rules from not allowing simultaneous operations to now allowing simultaneous
operations. The rule change will have a significant positive impact on royalty owner income! More to
come on this subject. Our Board member, Janet Witten-Conn, participated in the DNR rule adoption
regarding disposal wells establishing safe stand-offs from inhabited and critical infrastructure.
We also became an Interested Party with our state legislators in defeating the controversial forced
pooling legislation proposed in House Bill 152. Our Policy Committee worked diligently to develop our
positions and worked with organizations like the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD)
to oppose aspects of the Bill as introduced. We did actually sit at the table and call-in to the Interested
Parties meeting held by the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee chair. There were sections
in the Bill we supported, including a fixed hearing timeline and leasing State minerals. Thank you to all
members who wrote and/or called their representatives in opposition to this onerous Bill! The Bill has
not advanced beyond the opposition testimony stage, and there was a lot of opposition! As a side note,
the Ohio Oil and Gas Association (OOGA) director resigned and moved on after this defeat of the OOGA
sponsored HB 152. Rumor has it a more landowner friendly unitization Bill could be introduced with
Republican sponsorship. Stay tuned!
Congratulations to Jim Milleson for being elected to the NARO National Executive Board as a Member
At-Large! Jim is a NARO Ohio member and very active in supporting royalty and mineral owners!
The Ohio chapter is now established on social media with our own web page (https://naroohio.org/).
On the home page can be found our Facebook and Twitter links. Check them out for the latest news and
information! We also advertised in the Ohio Farm Bureau (OFB) quarterly newsletter.
A team of Ohio Board members worked diligently to contact landowners in a couple forced pooling
cases through snail mail giving the landowners an opportunity to experience NARO membership
benefits. “From the Pipeline” Zoom informational meetings were initiated and continue on the second
Thursday of each month. During 2021 we sponsored two NARO webinars. As we entered 2022, we
continue to work towards answering the question: “How to spread the word to Ohio landowners your
all-volunteer Ohio NARO is here for you?”
In 2021 planning began for the first annual NARO Ohio Conference to be held at the Pritchard-Laughlin
Civic Center in Cambridge September 16th and 17th this year. More details will follow! The event will be
a major undertaking and we will be contacting members looking for volunteers to participate in planning
and organizing this event. A Chapter business meeting will be held during the Conference to elect
Executive Board members and conduct other necessary business. We are in good financial help, thanks
to your support and continued membership!
For 2022 the volunteer NARO Ohio Executive Board members and positions are:
Barry Browne – President
Dan Devitt – Vice-President
Bill Knox – Treasurer
Heidi Kemp – Secretary
Pat Marcum – Board Member
Sandi Thompson – Board Member
Kent McCoy – Board Member
In 2022, we look forward to working with our industry partners on any legislation that is win-win. We will continue to work with the DNR providing landowner perspective to their rule development. As industry activity picks up this year, keep in mind the Utica and Marcellus contain world class natural gas reserves that can provide a reliable transition to our sustainable energy future!
As I like to inform anyone who wants to listen: if PA, WV and OH were a nation, we would be the THIRD largest natural gas producer in the world after the rest of the USA and Russia!
Have a healthy, prosperous, and happy 2022!
Barry Browne
Barry.Browne@NaroOhio.org
