Were destroying their homes, were destroying their lives.To Frac or not to Frac?It was peaceful outside in southwest Ohio, with birds chirping and a quiet wind blowing. Drinking a glass of orange juice, reading Mockingjay, swinging in an emerald bathing suit, I watched squirrels race up the oaks and Cardinals soar from yard to yard. I listened to the creek mumble as kids skipped rocks across its surface, and I saw a frog jump from one boulder to the next while fish swam freely. Cows were grazing across the field while pigs laid in a mound of mud. Southwest Ohio was peaceful, across the state was violent. Eastern Ohio sits upon 20 trillion cubic feet of untapped natural gas. The value is over $100 billion. Nocturnal animals are awakened, migrating birds are disturbed, and farm animals are poisoned by 900-1300 truckloads of materials for a drilling process they call hydraulic fracturing (fracking). {Insert comment from Buckeye Forest Council about fracking and animal concerns}.Fracking makes it possible to reach these natural gas reserves. Due to the HB 133 bill (Ohio States Biennial Budget Bill) Ohio State Parks are open for oil and gas drilling. The process uses sand, water, and chemicals injected at high pressures to blast open shale rock and release trapped gas inside. The fracking fluid is known to contain carcinogens and toxins such as, lead, uranium, mercury, ethylene glycol, radium, methanol, hydrochloric acid, and formaldehyde. And the list goes on. The question for humanity is: Is the money worth harming our wildlife?What about their water?The Ohio Ornithological Society (a society that represents the cause for bird protection) thinks not. In an open letter, they state that Nearly all of our streams have been dammed, straightened, or de-forested, leaving Ohio with very few remaining natural and scenic waterways. This means that our native birds and aquatic life have been considerably reduced as fracking degrades our natural water sources. {Insert comment from the Ohio Ornithological Society with a percentage of water sources harmed}. The Akron Beacon-Journal published a series of articles that noted, Ohios surface water is not well protected. Oil contractors do not need a permit to withdraw water from Ohio streams needed to open shale rock. There is one rule that says if they withdraw more than 100,000 gallons per day, they must register with the states Division of Soil and Water Resources. Still, there is no limit to how much can be withdrawn. Its a simple notification and signing on a dotted line for a contractor that will continue to destroy our streams and harm the wildlife that calls them home.

What about their home?The drilling noise alone can affect bird species and wildlife, specifically nocturnal animals. Air compressors and traffic are just two of the sources of noise associated with fracking activities. How would you feel if your sleep was disrupted by trucks coming and going through your neighborhood? Thats what these nocturnal animals, such as the raccoon, beaver, and White-tailed deer in our forests are experiencing and the intrusions can alter their behavior. They might become aggressive. They might leave their habitat. They might not reproduce. If this is the case, there will be more animals added to the Endangered Species List. And, who wants that? In fact, one study found that a single drilling station can affect 30 acres of forest. The effects are degradation of habitat and interference with migration and reproduction. Think about it. The things these birds and other species were born to domigrate and reproduceare being taken away. This could lead to a total flop in our ecosystem. And it doesnt look as though fracking will stop anytime soon.According to the Buckeye Forest Council (an Ohio based organization that protects Ohios native forests and their inhabitants) the Ohio Division of Forestry (ODF) is reversing 14 years of management. This means they are announcing new plans to eliminate 8,000 acres of natural forest in Ohio, specifically in Shawnee State Forest. Nathan Johnson, a conservation leader and staff attorney at the BFA says that, This is a big and unfortunate development that would shortchange both the public and some of the states most sensitive species. Today, Blue Rock State Forest (a state park in Muskingham County, Ohio) is home to sensitive and state-designated threatened and endangered species. This includes the timber rattlesnake, the river redhorse (fish), the bobcat, and the eastern box turtle. The Black Bear species may also be present in the area where fracking will occur. The sad part of fracking in our native forests is that these animals dont have a voice. They cant create a petition to move fracking elsewhere, but you can. Remember that you have a voice. What about our farms?Im not a farmer. I dont know any farmers. In fact, Ive never been to a working farm. But I find solace watching the cows graze their grassy land as Im en route to my apartment. Not because I know they could be sent to the meat packing plant the next day, but because they look peaceful, because they seem happy, because in that momentthats their home. Our wildlife animals are not the only ones in harms way. Cows, pigs, and chickens are all victims of food poisoning. Contaminated surface water has killed farm animals because fracking fluid was handled improperly. {Insert comment from Dr. Haynes on water toxicity}. It only takes a small spill of the highly toxic mixture to have a large impact on our farm animals. Since they are attracted to the saltiness of fracking fluids they swallow fatal quantities and meet an untimely, unfair, and unwanted death. Cornell University researchers conducted a year-long study of farm animals and fracking. In one case, 17 cows died because fracking fluids were spilled across their pasture and into their drinking water. It killed them within an hour, a quick, yet painful death. On the other hand, if the animals dont die by drinking contaminated water, they will surely have reproductive repercussions. Forty percent of the chemicals in the fracking fluid are known to be endocrine disruptors which interfere with the bodys natural reproductive system. Some of the cows in the Cornell study were expectant mothers and produced stillborn calves and a few goats exhibited reproductive problems. The chemicals will cause infertility in male and female livestock, leaving the animals for a life less purposeful. What can we do?It is gloomy outside in southwest Ohio, with birds hiding and a rush of cool air gusting. Drinking a cup of coffee, pulling up my blinds, looking out my window, I watched a deer run across the road and a farmer herd cows into his barn. I listened to the rain hit the concrete on my back porch, and I saw two chipmunks run from tree to tree, dodging the huge rain drops. My Golden Retriever sat in a puddle, stuck his nose up, and breathed in the fresh air. Southwest Ohio was gloomy, but southeast Ohio was worse. As I watched my beloved canine companion enjoy the outdoors, I thought of all the animalswildlife and livestockin southeast Ohio. They dont go out to enjoy fresh air, they live in the fresh air. Their home is the outdoors. We, humans, are taking away their home. If we take time to understand the life cycles and movements of wildlife species before beginning the fracking process, we could help reduce the negative impacts of energy development on wildlife. The animals that have created a home in our national parks are iconic and valued species. We should treat them with respect and plan carefully. We should not forget that livestock needs fresh water, fresh air, and fresh land. They have the right to reproduce healthy young, just like humans do. Whether its the Coyote or Red Fox, whether its the dairy cow or chicken, we have a duty to protect these animalsbecause we can.