THE new budget proposed by Gov. John Kasich authorizes private drilling for oil and gas in Ohio's state parks. At the same time, the severe spending cuts the budget calls for would compromise state government's ability to protect Ohio's environment and conserve its natural resources. The two ideas don't track.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources director David Mustine, a former oil and gas company executive, has been studiously vague about how drilling would occur on 600,000 acres of state lands that many Ohioans thought were protected from exploitation.

In a teleconference after the governor released his budget proposal last week, Mr. Mustine suggested details may not be available for several months, or longer, about his department's plans to oversee drilling and to promote timber sales on state-owned land.

That's not good enough. Not when ODNR faces a 16 percent funding cut and a shrunken work force. Not when county soil and water conservation districts are looking at a 44 percent cut in state aid to help them protect water sources. Not when efforts to keep the state's water and air clean could be restricted by a proposed 12-percent budget cut to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Ohioans love the 75 state parks too much to invite their potential degradation, from indiscriminate tree-cutting or groundwater contamination caused by careless drilling, without stringent regulatory oversight and scrutiny.

For years, park users have dug deeper into their pockets to pay periodic fee increases to camp or dock their boats, if that meant keeping their cherished natural areas open and pristine. The Kasich administration must keep faith with park users by showing -- not telling -- them how permitting drilling and increased timber sales are compatible with preserving the parks' true value.

First Published March 21, 2011, 4:15 a.m.