Unitarian Universalist Association
Fracking: States in Emergency:
UUs & Other Faith Communities Respond
Reports from the St. Lawrence District,
the Joseph Priestly District
and the Ohio-Meadville District
St. Lawrence District - 34 Congregations in
northern and western New York State
The Rev. Dick Gilbert
Joseph Priestly District - 67 Congregations in
eastern Pennsylvania, D.C. area, Delaware,
New Jersey, Maryland, & N. Virginia
The Rev. Nate Walker - UUPLAN
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
Running the Tech
for this Webinar:
The Rev. Joan Van
Becelaere, Ohio-Meadville
District Executive
Facilitator for this Webinar
Ron Prosek, East Shore UU
Church, Kirtland, OH
&
Convener, Faith Communities
Anti-Fracking Network (Ohio)
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.
Discussion & Questions
• Discussion among the Presenters
• Questions from the Audience
Wrap-Up
Brief closing comments from the
presenters
St. Lawrence District - 34 Congregations in
northern and western New York State
The Rev. Dick Gilbert
Joseph Priestly District - 67 Congregations in
eastern Pennsylvania, D.C. area, Delaware,
New Jersey, Maryland, & N. Virginia
The Rev. Nate Walker - UUPLAN
UU State Advocacy Networks
Eleven states organizing 82,911 Unitarian Universalists in the U.S.
1. Membership Growth: Our state
networks bring new members to Unitarian
Universalist congregations.
1. Moral & Spiritual Growth: Our advocacy
programs deepen congregants’ spirituality
and identity and deploy Unitarian
Universalist values to measurably impact
states and federal legislation.
1. Partnership: We are proud to provide a
cumulative structure for deepening
individual and congregation collaboration.
Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania
Legislative Advocacy Network
Serving 6,000 UUs in 40 congregations throughout the state
Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania
Legislative Advocacy Network
Serving 6,000 UUs in 40 congregations throughout the state
Northwest
5
105 Erie
19 Girard
124 Meadville
0 Reno
32 Ginger Hill
280
Members
Southwest
8
Central
3
157 N. Hills
103 Allegheny
446 Pittsburgh
197 S. Hills
50 E. Surburban
12 Smithton
49 Ligonier
71 Indiana
225 State Cllg
28 J. Priestley
113 Northumbld
1085
Members
366
Members
Capital
6
53 Gettysburg
155 Boiling Sp
407 Harrisburg
248 York
520 Lancaster
175 Reading
1558
Members
Northeast
6
Southeast
11
59 Poconos
52 Wyoming
93 Brooklyn
7 Towanda
44 Athens
229 Lehigh Valy
47 Pottstown
143 Wellsprings
181 West Chestr
104 Thms Paine
614 Mainline
278 Media
206 BuxMont
67 Lower Bucks
78 Restoration
297 Germantwn
218 1stU Philly
484
Members
2233
Members
(1) Print (2) Sign (3) Send
National Constitution Center
Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania
Legislative Advocacy Network
One More Step…
Organizational Development
501(c)3 UUPALM
501(c)4 UUPLAN
Financial leverage
Outreach Coordinator
Technological
infrastructure
Databases
Strategic Planning
Leadership Development
Effective Advocacy
One More Step…
Organizational Development
501(c)3 UUPALM
501(c)4 UUPLAN
Financial leverage
Outreach Coordinator
Technological
infrastructure
Databases
Strategic Planning
Learn from state
networks: best
practices
Governance: roles &
responsibilities
Coalition building
Leadership Development
Effective Advocacy
One More Step…
Organizational Development
501(c)3 UUPALM
501(c)4 UUPLAN
Financial leverage
Outreach Coordinator
Technological
infrastructure
Databases
Strategic Planning
Learn from state
networks: best
practices
Leadership Development
OMD and JPD
Assemblies
Governance: roles &
responsibilities
Regional visits in
Southwest, Capital,
Southeast regions
Coalition building
Next: NW, NE, Central
Spokesperson training
Effective Advocacy
One More Step…
Organizational Development
501(c)3 UUPALM
501(c)4 UUPLAN
Financial leverage
Outreach Coordinator
Technological
infrastructure
Databases
Strategic Planning
Learn from state
networks: best
practices
Leadership Development
OMD and JPD
Assemblies
Governance: roles &
responsibilities
Regional visits in
Southwest, Capital,
Southeast regions
Coalition building
Next: NW, NE, Central
Spokesperson training
Effective Advocacy
Regular education
Regular witnessing
Impact on legislation
Regular media
Deepening spirituality
Growth
Connect
Growth
Advocacy
Educate
Ministry
Ohio-Meadville District
Ohio-Meadville District
State of Fracking in Ohio
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!
Ohio-Meadville District
How Have Activists Responded?
Organizing Locally
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.
Ohio-Meadville District
How Have Activists Responded ?

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.
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
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-->
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
Ohio-Meadville District
FACT-Faith Communities Together 4 Frack Awareness
MISSION
1. 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-->
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