A "town meeting" to discuss hydraulic fracturing and what citizens of Kent can do to protect their city will be held at 7:30 tonight at Kent United Church of Christ.

The meeting, sponsored by several local grassroots organizations, will feature three presenters:

• John Brovarone, a science teacher who will explain horizontal hydraulic fracturing for natural gas

• Vanessa Pesec, president of Network for Oil & Gas Accountability and Protection (NEOGAP), who will discuss the impacts of fracking

• Eric Belcastro of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, who will present information about what kind of action a municipality like Kent can take

The meeting will be introduced by Harold Walker, longtime Kent resident, and moderated by former Kent resident George Sosebee.

Attending the meeting will be many area residents who participated in the Feb. 11 "March Against Fracking" in Kent, organized by Sosebee.

“When 100 people drive from as far away as Mahoning Valley and Cleveland to help Kent march, you know that anger at our loss of rights has risen to a significant degree,” Sosebee said.

“We truly believe the Constitution of both Ohio and the U.S.A. They say that power is inherent in the people, not in the government. It’s wrong that the state has taken that power from local people, cities, townships, and villages,” he added.

Organizers say the meeting will be an informative public event for those interested in how fracking works, what its consequences are for both the environment and people, and what area residents can do to take action regarding this technology of the oil and gas industry.

“Something is very wrong when water, air, land and lives are permanently destroyed so that private corporations can profit,” Sosebee said.