NEW PHILADELPHIA — “On Friday, October 19, members of Food & Water Watch and the Freshwater Accountability Project will protest the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s (MWCD) recent decision to authorize more water sales for fracking despite a current temporary moratorium on such sales.
The protestors will begin in the morning at the MWCD board meeting to testify against the water sales, leasing of land for fracking in close proximity to the region’s reservoirs and the lack of consideration for public opposition to the MWCD’s actions. They will also encourage the MWCD board to move swiftly to enact a public comment period wherein all oil and gas sales or land leases will be subject to public approval.
Who: Food & Water Watch, Freshwater Accountability Project
What: Protest of MWCD’s recent and ongoing water sales and land leases for oil and gas drilling
When: Friday, October 19, 2012 at 9:00 AM / press conference to follow board meeting at 12:00 PM
Where: Board meeting at McDonald Marlite Conference Center: 143 McDonald Drive S.W., New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 (Google map: http://bit.ly/UVSlNN) / Protest at the Tuscarawas County Courthouse: 125 East High Avenue, New Philadelphia, OH 44663 (Google map: http://bit.ly/X1FBZ1)
Why: A highly controversial form of energy extraction, fracking uses high volumes of water and a mixture of toxic chemicals to access natural gas reserves deep below the earth’s surface. The process has been linked to contaminated water and air, and has been shown to threaten public health and local economies.
Visuals: Banners, protest signs, music, and speakers for the rally at the courthouse
Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
— Alison Auciello, Food & Water Watch and Leatra Harper, Freshwater Accountability Project
