Working for a local ban
Alison Auciello, coalition member and organizer for Food & Water Watch said, “We’re optimistic that City Council will move quickly to ban all fracking activities in order to keep Cincinnati from becoming a dumping ground for the fracking industry’s waste.” The coalition is seeking a community rights based ban, as well as other local ordinances which would permanently keep the fracking industry out of town.
The state of the State
In 2004, the state of Ohio gave ODNR exclusive rights over permitting oil and gas wells, effectively stripping communities of their rights to oversee permitting in their respective communities. “The state and federal governments are giving every imaginable handout to the fracking industry,” said Mary Clare Rietz, of the Ohio Alliance for People and Environment. “Local communities in a functioning democracy should have the right to say ‘no thanks’ to anything that puts people at risk.” Ms. Rietz is also noting the blanket federal exemptions from the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
Governor Kasich’s red carpet energy plan Senate Bill 315 also did not address exemptions, nor did it address the association of waste injection wells and earthquakes. In response to the recent fracking industry handout, some of our members wore costumes portraying “gagged” doctors, confused first responders, a corrupt John Kasich, and various affected citizens. One costume featured a large faucet spouting flammable water.
Cincinnati City Council on Fracking
On April 18th of this year, Council members stated their concern in an anti-fracking resolution, which passed unanimously. Council members raised concerns during hearings on the resolution that Cincinnati does not have the infrastructure or capabilities for the rapidly expanding fracking industry.
“We right now do not know the answers, we do not have the numbers or the documentation, we are not prepared to respond to the hazards that come with fracking,” said councilman Wendell Young, pointing to the lack of substantive research on the true costs of fracking. “It is reckless to allow this practice to continue until we do. We are endangering our water supply, our land, and the health of all of our citizens.”
It’s great to live in Cincinnati, where our council actually is taking steps to protect our drinking water, and prevent hazardous waste water and industry-related earthquakes. Hopefully, we’ll have good news very soon.
To join the SW Ohio No Frack Forum or for more information, e-mail swohionofrackforum@gmail.com
To find out how your Ohio representative voted on SB 315, click here
Photos courtesy of Ronald Gillespie