It’s time to show our Governor and legislators who they are accountable to: Ohioans, not the oil and gas industry! Gov. Kasich, with industry at his side, has crafted loophole-ridden fracking legislation that he hopes to push through the legislature by the end of June. Let’s give him a better idea of where Ohioans stand on fracking. Join us on June 17 and help make this the biggest anti-fracking rally yet.

We’re proud to partner with 350.org for a weekend of movement-building, movie screenings and activist trainings, June 14-16th. The weekend’s events will lead up to the biggest anti-fracking rally yet, on June 17 at the Ohio Statehouse. RSVP to let us know if you can make it to the rally, and if you’re interested, we’ll send you more information about the full weekend of events. We hope you can make it for both!

This is our chance to build the anti-fracking movement into a strong, visible and persistent force that our politicians must heed. It’s not okay for them to sit on the fence and use industry propaganda to justify their lack of accountability. Will you join us in Columbus June 17 to hold our elected officials accountable to the people?

Ohio needs a ban on fracking. As you may know, hydraulic fracturing is a harmful method of natural gas drilling that injects a mixture of water, sand and chemicals under high pressure into dense rock formations to crack the rock and release natural gas. Its damaging effects can include water contamination, earthquakes and increased smog pollution. That’s not what Ohio wants. There are safer alternatives to natural gas, but there is no alternative to water.

Petition to Anne Carey to authorize an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
before releasing any Wayne land for oil and gas leasing

Whereas:

• The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that the Wayne consider potential impacts on the human environment, consider environmental and socioeconomic impacts on the region, including on drinking water supplies, and consider public input in an Environmental Impact Statement before authorizing any significant action,
•  the 2006 Wayne National Forest Plan and its EIS did not consider deep-shale high-volume horizontal drilling and fracturing (HVHF),
• HVHF is clearly a significant action,
• Anne Carey has the discretionary power to authorize an EIS,
• The Wayne is obligated to consider impacts on and from actions on all its land, whether or not it owns the mineral rights.

WE the undersigned call for Anne Carey to authorize an EIS in order to provide a full environmental and socioeconomic analysis of HVHF impacts and full public participation on this decision that may affect public and environmental health and the social and economic well being and viability of our county. We consider this the only legal, ethical, and moral choice.

To sign, please send your name and address to heather.cantino AT gmail.com. We will collect and periodically deliver signatures until a decision is announced.

The Obama Administration issued a new rule that requires companies to disclose the chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing. However, the industry does not have to reveal the information until after they have finished drilling.

Read the full New York Times article here.

“According to records of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas Resource Management, James Brent Hayes applied May 2 for a permit to drill a new well in Rome Township, on River Road south of Ohio Rt. 329 near the Hocking River. The site is on a farm that Hayes owns.” The Athens News

Read the full story here.

The Great Lakes Compact has the potential to safeguard our water supply and foster healthy, sustainable and vibrant communities for centuries to come.

The Compact requires states to set thresholds or withdrawal limits on the amount of water individuals and companies can take from the Lake Erie Watershed.

HB 473 threatens our water supply by allowing industry to withdraw over 89 million gallons in a single day, leaves our highest quality rivers unprotected, and limits public participation in the permitting process.

Please tell the Ohio Legislature not to drain the lake and vote no on HB 473.

The Vermont House of Representatives voted 103-36 on May 4 to give final passage to legislation that will make Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

Read the media release in it’s entirety here.

New content: Mineral Rights Committee Recommendations, Ohio University

“Five bills have been proposed relative to moratorium and regulations of the growing drilling industry in Ohio, yet we cannot get hearings on any of the bills. Bills proposed need to be heard now. We need to let the Speaker of the Ohio House the Pres. of Ohio Senate know we want hearings.”

Representative Bob Hagan has created a petition online to be delivered to The Ohio State House, The Ohio State Senate, and Governor John Kasich to demand an immediate hearing on horizontal hydraulic fracturing.

Check out the petition and sign it today!

Chesapeake Is Shifting Focus Away From Pa.

“As one travels westward into Ohio, the more likely drillers are to locate oil, as Buckeye State industry leaders estimate the state’s portion of the Utica Shale to contain as many as 5.5 billion barrels of oil. Chesapeake is among several companies – including Exxon Mobil via subsidiary XTO Energy and New York City-based Hess Corp. – hoping to strike oil while drilling in Ohio.”  The Intelligencer: Wheeling News-Register.

News

Poll: 40 Percent of Voters Unfamiliar with Fracking

“In the first statewide poll on hydro-fracking, about 59 percent said they’ve heard of or read about the method. Meanwhile, about 72 percent of the same participants said hydro-fracking should be halted until it’s studied further.” WKBN

Ohio voters want fracking halted for safety studies: poll

“Seventy-two percent of voters polled said there should be a halt in hydraulic fracturing, or simply fracking, in Ohio until more was known about the impact of the process, Quinnipiac found.” Reuters

Ohio House candidates talk about fracking

“Phillips said Wednesday that land and mineral owners have property rights, and historically this region has seen its share of oil and gas drilling. ‘I think that this method raises a lot of questions and a lot of serious concerns, and I share a lot of those concerns,” she said. “Big picture, I think our region has seen a lot of boom-and-bust cycles in the past.'” Athens News

Letter to the Editor

Now’s the time to join the crusade against hydraulic fracturing here
“If you’ve been considering contacting your elected officials or getting involved in general, now is the time! Groups all across Ohio are joining efforts to protect our communities. Last Tuesday was a great example. Hundreds of concerned citizens stood in front of the Ohio Statehouse, asking our officials to no longer allow industry to pollute and exploit our world. BUT there is need for many more voices; in fact, it is time for ALL concerned people to stand up for all generations and the resources that we all share.” Athens News

For the sake of all we hold dear, ban fracking now

“I’d like to go a bit further and say this: Jumping on the fracking bandwagon is at best shortsighted and at worst pernicious. Economic development models based on resource extraction simply don’t work. They produce a short-term boom that benefits a few outside investors at great cost to local residents and small businesses and to our community’s long-term health and well-being.” Athens News