Save Ohio Parks endorses Dr. Amy Acton and David Pepper for Governor and Lt. Governor

Nonprofit backs Acton and 15 other statewide candidates as clear choices to consider halting oil and gas extraction from Ohio’s state parks and public lands

Save Ohio Parks, the grassroots nonprofit fighting to stop fracking Ohio’s state parks and public lands, endorsed Dr. Amy Acton for Governor and David Pepper for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio today.

Three years ago, Gov. Mike DeWine put the gas and oil industry ahead of the pristine natural places Ohioans love by signing H.B. 507, which opened state parks and public lands for fracking.

Save Ohio Parks believes Acton represents a different path.

“Ohioans did not ask for drilling rigs in their state parks. They are getting them anyway,” said Cathy Cowan Becker, board president of Save Ohio Parks. “Dr. Amy Acton listens. She understands that our parks belong to all of us, not to out-of-state frackers. That is exactly the kind of leadership Ohio needs in the governor’s office.”

The contrast at the top of the ballot could not be clearer. Outgoing Gov. DeWine has endorsed Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has celebrated fracking Ohio’s state parks and public lands. 

“This is a clear choice between protecting what belongs to the people of Ohio and selling it off,” said Cowan Becker. “Ramaswamy has already said he plans to expand fracking on public land. Dr. Acton listened to our concerns about the negative health and environmental harms of fracking. That’s why we are proud to stand with her and her running mate, David Pepper. We are ready to organize our supporters to help Dr. Acton win in November.”

Ramaswamy also expressed support in social media for the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission’s June 29 decision to frack 15,000 acres of Egypt Valley and Jockey Hollow wildlife areas and 513 more acres at Salt Fork State Park.

That gas will likely power Ohio AI data centers.

Save Ohio Parks attests Ramaswamy ignores the facts, clinging to and repeating false gas and oil industry messaging that fracking is good for Ohio.

Research proves otherwise. The Ohio River Valley Institute, a nonprofit studying the economics of fracking the 30 largest gas-producing counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia since 2008, reports these areas have less job growth, lagging income and lost population compared to the rest of the United States.

For the last three years, Save Ohio Parks volunteers have conducted research, sponsored events and protests, helped Ohioans submit thousands of public comments, and lobbied both Republican and Democratic Party lawmakers to embrace the latest health, environmental and planet-warming information on methane gas fracking.

In 2025, a coalition of 30 Ohio environmental organizations and almost 1500 Ohioans signed a letter asking Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a moratorium on fracking Ohio state parks and public lands. That request has been ignored.

Statehouse candidate endorsements

Save Ohio Parks has also conducted interviews with incumbents and candidates running for Ohio House and Senate. It endorses 15 who said they support protecting and preserving clean air, fresh water and pristine state parks and public lands for all Ohioans.

Endorsed candidates are: 

• Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus)
• Stacie Baker (D-Senate, District 3, Canal Winchester)
• Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Township)
• Shelby Kimball (D-Representative, District 60, Powell)
• Rep. Crystal Lett (D-Hilliard)
• Rose Lounsbury (D-Representative, District 36, Kettering)
• Kim McCarthy (D, Representative, District 70, Beavercreek)
• Daquan Neal (D-Representative, District 39, Dayton)
• Rep. Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood)
• Mike Roberto (D-Senate, District 27, Hudson)
• Samantha Salamon (D- Representative, District 35, Bainbridge Township)
• Wenda Sheard (D- Representative, District 94, Marietta)
• Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid)
• Noah Spinner (D-Representative, District 31, Richfield)
• Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield Township)