COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the topic of hydraulic fracturing for fuel, or “fracking,” spreads west across Ohio, members of the Ohio Ecological Farm and Food Assoc. (OEFFA) are taking a stand against this controversial practice, saying stronger laws need to be in place to protect the environment.

“Sustainable agriculture supports the long-term economic health of our rural communities,” said MacKenzie Bailey, policy coordinator for OEFFA. “Opportunities for short-term economic prosperity should not and cannot come at the expense of our natural resources.”

Fracking is a process that uses water, sand and chemicals injected at high pressure into deep underground shale formations to create explosions that crack the rock below and release natural gas. Critics, such as members of OEFFA, say the process poses a potential risk of contamination to natural resources.

OEFFA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1979 that is a 3,000-member coalition of farmers, gardeners, consumers, retailers, researchers and educators who share a desire to build a healthy, sustainable food system. OEFFA is urging Gov. John Kasich to protect Ohio’s natural resources with regulations, and it has come up with three areas of concern.

First, OEFFA wants to see a full public disclosure of chemicals, by name, used in fracking prior to injection in order to protect the health of Ohioans and to establish clear lines of traceability if contamination was to occur. Second, it wants opportunities for citizen participation by making the permitting process transparent and giving landowners more advance notice and adequate opportunities to comment or appeal any decision.

Third, is to increase control at the local level. Ohio law currently gives “sole and exclusive” authority to the state over permitting for oil and gas projects. This, OEFFA officials say, undermines the right of local government and property owners to determine the future of their communities. “Ohio needs stronger regulations to protect our air, soil and water and our communities, to preserve the integrity of our food and farming systems for generations to come,” Bailey said.

In letters to its members, OEFFA stated air pollution and, in particular, increased levels of ozone, can result in lower crop yields in soybeans, spinach, tomatoes, beans, alfalfa and other forages. Livestock are attracted to the toxic and salty brine used in fracking and are particularly vulnerable if there is contamination of soil or water, it said. “There are nearly 600 certified organic operations in Ohio and much of the organic pasture and cropland is located in areas of the state containing shale deposits,” Bailey said. “Water and soil contamination resulting from fracking could jeopardize a farmer or rancher’s organic certification.”

OEFFA isn’t alone. Jack Shaner of the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) recently addressed a gathering in Cleveland, discussing both sides of this hotly debated issue. “Fracking is a relatively new drilling technology,” Shaner said. “This high-volume, deep-shale horizontal hydraulic fracturing makes it possible to reach natural reserves that underlie much of the state of Ohio. The environmental and health impacts from this procedure are shocking and well-documented, with a significant number of spills, blowouts, leaking wells and other accidents and releases of contaminants.”

The OEC states it is Ohio’s leading advocate for fresh air, clean water and sustainable land use. It has been in existence for 40 years with the goal of securing a healthier environment for Ohio’s families and communities.

Other organizations are weighing in, as well. Just last week the Ohio Department of Natural Resources released proposed guidelines that would require natural gas and oil companies to stay at least 300 feet from campgrounds, certain waterways and sites deemed historically or archaeologically valuable.