Ohioans turn out to thank Senator Brown

On February 16, scores of Ohioans from throughout the state turned out to thank Senator Sherrod Brown for his vocal opposition to the nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Among the speakers was Jill Hunkler, an environmental outreach coordinator whose community lives in one of the epicenters of Ohio’s oil and gas drilling boom.

“Our county has been declared, this is Belmont County, a sacrifice zone by the industry,” said Hunkler, “The threats from the oil and gas industry are real, and we are suffering in Ohio, and so that’s why I am standing here today to say thank you Sherrod Brown!”

Hunkler and the crowd choked up at the last line of gratitude.

Also among the list of powerful speakers, who each shared the importance of protecting the EPA, were Rev. Dr. Susan K Smith, Rosemary Valedes Chaudry [PhD, MPH, RN], Zerqa Abid, founder and president of MY Project USA, and Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director of the OEC. Taylor-Miesle concluded the day by urging Ohioans to continue taking action.

“The reality is that this is one fight, but there are going to a lot of fights, and so the more that we can pull together as a community, the more we can show up, the more that we can support each other, the more that we can stand up and say to people that there is a better way.”