Anti-fracking group plans demonstrations in a dozen states

photo: Mike Groll

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Activists in about a dozen U.S. states are having a day of action to highlight concerns about potential environmental and health effects of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a high-pressure technique for extracting oil and gas from shale deposits.

The Youngstown, Ohio-based Frackfree America National Coalition organized Tuesday’s events, including rallies in a number of Ohio counties. Some Youngstown-area earthquakes have been tied to fracking or the deep-injection of fracking wastewater.

Elsewhere, planned actions included rallies, press conferences, full-page newspaper ads and film screenings. Activists were participating in Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Environmentalists and others point to seismic activity and potential water contamination from fracking, while the energy industry says the process has been used safely for years.

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