Join Me In Speaking Up For Public Lands

Marilyn Evenson, August 14, 2017

Your voice is important and powerful.

I should know, as Senator Randy Gardner did the right thing for Ohio by publicly announcing that he is against drilling in state parks, quoting the following letter that I wrote to him:

“Sen. Randall L. Gardner,

I urge you to vote against effort to override Governor Kasich’s line item veto the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission Amendment to the budget bill.

The Leasing Amendment paves the way for oil and gas development in Ohio’s state parks and most of Ohio’s state-owned public lands. This is completely unacceptable. I love my state parks and state public lands and I want oil and gas operations to stay out of them.

I support the Governor’s actions to protect public lands and hope you will, too.

I urge you to vote to protect Ohio’s public lands, including our state parks, for present and future generations to enjoy.”

Learn more about the proposal to open up state parks to drilling.

Senator Gardner has shown again and again that he is a supporter of protecting our natural resources here in Ohio, and deserves our praise. You can email him at Gardner@ohiosenate.gov to thank him. Please join me in taking a moment to let him know how much you appreciate him taking a stand for Ohio’s precious – and limited – outdoor places.

What I’ve learned through writing letters to newspapers and my representatives is that I actually do have the power to influence my decision makers. Plus, if those of us who care about public lands and environmental protection don’t even bother to speak up, then who will? Who will be the influence that decides the fate of special places in our state like the Hocking Hills, Mohican State Forest, and the Shawnee State Forest: the interests that see these lands as places to exploit, rather than protect?

Even if you’ve never written a letter to your lawmaker or local newspaper, there are TONS of free resources out there to help you get started. In fact, the OEC is hosting an upcoming citizen training on writing letters-to-the-editor and speaking out about our state’s most pressing public lands issues.