Subra's Talk On Health Risks Draws A Crowd
Over a hundred people came to hear MacArthur Genius Award-winner Dr. Wilma Subra speak about fracking's health risks last week. Subra described the types of toxins emitted by natural gas development and human exposure routes (ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption). "The closer the individual lives to the facility, the more frequent and worse their health symptoms seem to be," said Subra.
Subra encouraged the audience to track visible and odorous emissions, and taught them how to log their symptoms. "Write down the date and time. Note the wind direction and any odd smells. Describe your health symptoms," Subra said. These records can be used to match chemicals released with health impacts experienced.
Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and radium are just a few of the known cancer-causing agents released during the fracturing process. These heavy metals bioaccumulate up the food chain: even if a person is not exposed directly, they can become exposed indirectly by eating contaminated food.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as methane and sulfur are also released during shale gas development projects. VOCs can cause cancer and genetic mutations. Pipeline construction, condensate storage, flowback impoundment, and gas well venting are some of the industrial processes that release VOCs into the atmosphere, Subra said.
Subra discussed the acute and long-term health impacts of individuals living in close proximity to shale gas development. Acute symptoms include headaches, skin rashes, and irritated eyes, nose, and throat. Long-term impacts include leukemia, aplastic anemia, damage to the lungs, liver, and kidneys, and changes in blood cells and blood clotting ability.
"These are not potential problems of the future, they are problems that are occurring today," said Subra.
After her presentation, Subra opened the floor for what became an emotionally-charged question and answer session. The primary worry was over the responsibility of Pennsylvania doctors to their patients. One audience member voiced the opinion that doctors withholding patient health information pursuant to Act 13 were guilty of malpractice. A medical doctor in the audience took offense, pointing out that the symptoms Subra listed could be caused by a number of problems unrelated to shale gas development.
A worker on the Marcellus Shale also spoke up during the Q&A session. "I have arthritis and high blood pressure now, and I never had these problems before," said the worker. "Is it because I just turned 40, or is it because of my job?"
The lack or suppression of information continues to be a problem as shale gas development continues.
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With Appreciation
Community education and outreach are crucial to protect public health and encourage responsible drilling. In order to fulfill our mission of public education, your ongoing financial support is needed.
The Responsible Drilling Alliance wishes to thank the generous donors who made a contribution the evening of the Wilma Subra event, helping us to underwrite the cost. We would also like to thank the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute for their co-sponorship, and Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition in Luzurne Country for partnering with RDA to bring Subra to Pennsylvania.
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Cumulative Impacts Unknown:
RDA's Official Comment On SRBC's Proposed Low Flow Protection Policy
The public comment period closed this week for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission's proposed Low Flow Protection Policy. The proposed policy, intended to protect ecosystem flow, provides guidelines for water withdrawal projects. Although the new policy is an improvement on existing regulations, Responsible Drilling Alliance Science Advisor Kevin Heatley says the plan still fails to account for natural gas development's cumulative impacts to the watershed. The Responsible Drilling Alliance submitted the following comment to the SRBC:
Dear Susquehanna River Basin Commission,
The Responsible Drilling Alliance (RDA) is a grassroots organization dedicated to understanding the full ramifications of natural gas extraction. As we are headquartered in Williamsport, PA., our members have a deep affiliation and connection to the Susquehanna River and the associated subwatersheds. After careful examination of the proposed SRBC Low Flow Protection Policy, the RDA would like to submit the following comments and concerns:
1) The proposed regulations are not grounded in a comprehensive, cumulative impacts and alternatives study of the likely build-out associated with natural gas development in the entire basin. This study should be conducted prior to applying a reductionist model of regulation. Understanding cumulative impacts is critical to sound watershed management.
2) The proposed regulations do not account for the direct relationship between land cover conversion (forest loss) as a result of natural gas infrastructure and the corresponding changes in peak and base stream flows. This is a fatal flaw in the policy. By ignoring this relationship the SRBC is guaranteeing system-wide, undesirable ecological cascades to water resources. Issuing permits for withdrawals will encourage development. The development eventually changes watershed runoff and retention rates which, in turn, reduce groundwater recharge and base stream flows. Plug flow volumes will increase as a result of cover changes and stream morphology will suffer. It is not rocket science, the literature is clear.
Continue Reading...
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Quote Of The Week
"We do not have a comfort level with the unique risks associated with the fracking process to provide coverage at a reasonable price."
-Joe Case Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
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Water Truck Whistleblower:
"They laughed me out of my Hazmat suit."
"Although the whistle-blowing frack water truck driver in this video is from Arkansas, a frack truck driver friend of mine here in Lycoming County
has told me numerous stories identical to these. What is true for Arkansas is true for PA. Undocumented and harmful violations are rampant in this industry."
-Barb Jarmoska
RDA Board of Directors
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India Trumps America In Use Of Economically-Sound Renewable Fuel
"Today we're able to supply energy below the cost of conventional power," said Mahesh Kolli, president of Greenko, which is building wind projects with General Electric Co. (GE) in India. "That's the key development for this year."
The cost of wind has closed in on coal thanks to more advanced turbines, which can produce more electricity from lower wind speeds. The shift means new wind farms in India will be able to survive without state subsidies, potentially attracting investors to a country where 57 percent of installed capacity is coal-based and 31 percent renewable, including hydropower.
Continue reading...
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Support RDA's Efforts
Are you interested in contributing your time, talents, or resources to seeking truth about shale gas development?
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