Photo Provided Save Ohio Parks volunteers rally outside the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Sept. 18 to ask its Oil and Gas Land Management Commission to deny leasing Ohio state parks and public lands for natural gas fracking. The commission approved four Ohio Department of Transportation parcels for bid.

COLUMBUS — Save Ohio Parks will host a “Rally for State Parks, Climate and Democracy” at noon Oct. 27 at the Ohio Statehouse West Plaza in Columbus.

Ohioans concerned about fracking under state parks and public lands, climate change and Ohio democracy are invited. Speakers from statewide environmental and democracy organizations are planned, along with live music at the hour-long rally.

Save Ohio Parks is an all-volunteer group working to deny the leasing of Ohio state parks and public lands for fracking.

“Our state legislators want to allow fracking under our beloved state parks and public lands,” said Randi Pokladnik, Ph.D., Save Ohio Parks steering committee member. “‘The short-term economic gains — mostly for out-of-state gas and oil companies — are outweighed by the negative effects on Ohio’s citizens. Fracking and fracking infrastructure are linked to increased childhood cancers, fertility, hormone disruption and other diseases; destroys the environment; and releases massive amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Climate change is undeniable. It is here and it is urgent. Scientists tell us we need to stop new fossil fuel projects now, phase natural gas out and embrace green energy in order to reach sustainable climate goals.”

For almost a year, Save Ohio Parks and other statewide environmental organizations have questioned the decision of the legislature, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission to allow leasing under Ohio’s state parks, wildlife areas and public lands for fracking.

The governor-appointed commission can approve or deny it, but appears poised to allow it regardless of a myriad of health, climate and geological studies that demonstrate fracking is dangerous to human health; industrializes rural areas and destroys animal, plant and insect environments; increases light, noise and truck traffic; and will drain and contaminate water from Ohio lakes, rivers and streams, taking it out of the water supply forever.

More fracking means more water withdrawals from Ohio surface water and more frack wastewater that contains heavy metals, brine, chemicals and radionuclides. Up to 16 million gallons of water are needed to frack one well and the resulting wastewater, or “produced water,” is so toxic it must be disposed of in Class II injection wells.