Unitarian Universalist Association

2. Unitarian Universalist Association Fracking: States in Emergency:UUs & Other Faith Communities Respond Reports from the St. Lawrence District, the Joseph Priestly Districtand the Ohio-Meadville District

3. St. Lawrence District - 34 Congregations in northern and western New York State The Rev. Dick Gilbert

4. Joseph Priestly District - 67 Congregations in eastern Pennsylvania, D.C. area, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, & N. Virginia The Rev. Nate Walker - UUPLAN

5. Ohio Meadville District - 44 Congregations in eastern 2/3 of Ohio, Western Pensylvania, and West Virginia Vanessa Pesec, NEOGAP + Ron Prosek- East Shore, Kirtland, OH

6. Running the Tech for this Webinar: The Rev. Joan Van Becelaere, Ohio-Meadville District Executive

7. Facilitator for this Webinar Ron Prosek, East Shore UU Church, Kirtland, OH &Convener, Faith Communities Anti-Fracking Network (Ohio)

8. Topics To Be Covered Each district will present: • The Status of Fracking in the district. • Activists’ Responses & what has worked and what hasn’t. • UU & Other Faith Community Responses & what has worked and what hasn’t.

9. Discussion & Questions • Discussion among the Presenters • Questions from the Audience Wrap-Up Brief closing comments from the presenters

10. St. Lawrence District - 34 Congregations in northern and western New York State The Rev. Dick Gilbert

11. Joseph Priestly District - 67 Congregations in eastern Pennsylvania, D.C. area, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, & N. Virginia The Rev. Nate Walker - UUPLAN

12. UU State Advocacy Networks Eleven states organizing 82,911 Unitarian Universalists in the U.S. • Membership Growth: Our state networks bring new members to Unitarian Universalist congregations. • Moral & Spiritual Growth: Our advocacy programs deepen congregants’ spirituality and identity and deploy Unitarian Universalist values to measurably impact states and federal legislation. • Partnership: We are proud to provide a cumulative structure for deepening individual and congregation collaboration.

13. Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania Legislative Advocacy Network Serving 6,000 UUs in 40 congregations throughout the state

14. Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania Legislative Advocacy Network Serving 6,000 UUs in 40 congregations throughout the state

16. (1) Print (2) Sign (3) Send National Constitution Center

17. Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania Legislative Advocacy Network

19. One More Step…

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22. One More Step… Regular education Regular witnessing Impact on legislation Regular media Deepening spirituality Growth

25. Ohio-Meadville District

26. Ohio-Meadville District State of Fracking in Ohio

27. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Activists Responded? • State Level Efforts / Actions: • Proposed SB 196 (NEOGAP and Grendell) • - Would have been Real Reform • But, Legislature adopted SB 165 • - A Sham • Legislature passed HB 133, drilling now allowed in state parks – A disgrace!

28. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Activists Responded?Organizing Locally

29. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Activists Responded ? • Local Strategies: • Educate landowners NOT to sign any leases. • Help citizens work with local elected leaders to implement ORDINANCES and/or RESOLUTIONS to say “No” to Fracking. • Work with local elected leaders to TAKE BACK local control over ZONING through legal challenges.

30. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Activists Responded ? Success Stories • Scores of local meetings - showings of Gasland and “Leasing Meetings” around the state. • Significant increase in media coverage & more general awareness of the issue. • Yellow Springs, OH educated neighbors, pushed out seismic testing / drilling company. • Bans on Township and Village property in three locations.

31. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Activists Responded ? • Evolving Strategy: • Move toward community-rights-based ordinances to ban fracking. • Includes the concept that Nature itself has rights. www.celdf.org

32. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Faith Communities Responded? Establishment (in Ohio) of FACT-Faith Communities Together - 4 Frack Awareness • Initiated by UUs & UCCs in N.E. Ohio & joined by Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, and others • Meeting monthly since June, 2011 • Includes 15 faith communities Continued-->

33. Ohio-Meadville District How Have Faith Communities Responded? Establishment (in Ohio) of FACT-Faith Communities Together - 4 Frack Awareness • Now includes 6 different faith traditions • Now includes 6 eastern Ohio counties

34. Ohio-Meadville District FACT-Faith Communities Together - 4 Frack Awareness MISSION Educate faith communities not to lease parish lands for fracking 2. Educate members of faith communities NOT to lease their own personal land for fracking 3. Educate the general public Continued-->

35. Ohio-Meadville District FACT-Faith Communities Together - 4 Frack Awareness MISSION (Cont’d) 4. Work to end the exploitation of workers and landowners, many of whom are disadvantaged and impoverished 5. Work to promote water, air, and soil protection, energy conservation, and a rapid transition to renewables