Will the Real "Extremist" Please Stand Up
According to our local
Chamber of Commerce, as espoused by president Vincent Matteo, natural gas drilling is environmentally safe. In addition, because RDA favors a moratorium on all new drilling, the grassroots organization is now labeled an "environmental extremist group" whose acronym should stand for "Reject Drilling Alliance."
First of all, thank you, Mr. Matteo, for clearing up this very complicated issue about the safety of the natural gas industry. Hundreds of Ph.D.s in various fields, including engineering, chemistry, biology, environmental, toxicological, medical sciences and other disciplines have been struggling with this safety issue for years. I guess my own education and experience no longer count: My education is in chemical engineering and chemistry, and I have several decades of industry experience as a chemical and environmental safety engineer, where I worked daily with toxicologists and industrial hygienists.
I should be relieved that I no longer need to continue researching the many health studies, air emissions reports, water contamination documents, ecological studies, and more that have all linked gas industry operations to, dare I say it, possible environmental and safety problems. I use the word "possible" because in some studies, a definitive link is a very difficult thing to prove.
However, since Mr. Matteo used the phrase "... how safe it has become" when referring to natural gas drilling in his latest Chamber View, I would appreciate an explanation of a few issues he seems to have missed:
An OSHA / NIOSH Alert shows samples from 11 fracking sites giving this data:
- 47% showed silica exposures greater than the calculated OSHA PEL (permissible exposure limit)
- 79% showed silica exposures greater than the NIOSH REL (recommended exposure limit)
Respirable silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease. These exposures are NOT considered safe for gas industry workers. Mr. Matteo should explain his "safe" statement to our friends, neighbors and relatives who work for the gas industry. RDA wants gas workers to have all the necessary information about the industry. Does the Chamber?
Natural gas operations in Pennsylvania and other states have been linked to a number of environmental problems, including high levels of ozone formed from the oil and gas industry's emissions. For example, since the gas industry moved into a formerly pristine rural area in Wyoming with excellent air quality, that region has experienced ozone levels higher than those in Los Angeles, California. Ozone is a known respiratory irritant that is especially harmful to children, the elderly and those with respiratory issues like asthma. Mr. Matteo should explain to our local citizens why Lycoming County will not experience these documented air quality problems as the build out continues in areas like the Route 87 corridor. RDA wants the public to be aware of these potential emissions problems. Does the Chamber?
Environmental damage from natural gas operations is well documented. These include a significant percentage of well-casing failures, as shown in the Department of Environmental Protection's violations (compliance) database. These well casings are supposed to protect against gas / liquid migration to water supplies. Mr. Matteo should explain to homeowners living near gas operations in Lycoming County why these violations are "environmentally safe" and why these folks will not experience such problems. RDA wants the public to be aware of the violations and potential for environmental problems. Does the Chamber?
When any conscientious individual looks at someone's hypothesis, they must know several things:
First, the qualifications of the person stating the hypothesis. Mr. Matteo has a doctorate in public administration. How does that make him an expert on environmental and chemical safety?
Secondly, what persons or groups may have influenced the hypothesis? Mr. Matteo is the president of the local Chamber of Commerce. A number of local businesses have benefited from the gas industry presence, and these companies are Chamber members. There is definitely a bias here, but does that bias need to be accompanied by ignorance? Perhaps Vince has been reading the reports about the gas industry that originated from Penn State University. Guess which industry funded those studies? I guess they don't teach these things in public administration.
Finally, I have to laugh at Matteo's hypothesis that RDA is an extremist environmental group because we have called for a moratorium on new drilling. RDA members have Ph.D.s in biology and veterinary science, they are owners of local businesses, they are professional ecologists, geologists, and chemists, they teach at our local colleges and work in local businesses. RDA members are parents and grandparents, they are active in many important local non-profit agencies, they care about and serve this community, and they are intelligent individuals who all have legitimate concerns about the natural gas industry.
RDA called for a moratorium on new well drilling, not an end to all drilling. We understand the need for energy and are glad some of our neighbors, friends, and family members have been able to benefit financially from the gas industry. But we also understand there are currently way too many unaddressed concerns and unanswered questions. We cannot continue full speed ahead without comprehensive impact studies and a full understanding of the consequences of this technology. To us, this precaution seems like common sense. For us, the "R" in RDA stands for responsible.
So who is the real extremist here?
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Frac sand trucks wait in line to enter a well pad. IMAGE: ANN PINCA
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