Athens bans fracking

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Jeff Bell

Drilling bans failed in three Ohio cities, while prevailing in Athens.

Tom Knox

Reporter- Columbus Business First

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Just one of the measures to ban fracking in Ohio towns passed Tuesday.

Four Ohio cities had been looking in the election to halt oil and gas hydraulic fracturing.

Only Athens approved, by an overwhelming margin of 78 percent. The three other towns – Gates Mills, Kent and Youngstown – denied the measures, Midwest Energy News reports.

It's the fourth time voters in Youngstown rejected a ban in less than two years, and fewer voters showed support than they did in May.

The cities call the measures a Community Bill of Rights, although ultimately the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has control over the issuing of drilling permits.

Anti-fracking measures in Denton, Texas, and two California counties passed Tuesday, too.