Over a year ago this August, the University of Pittsburgh, in support of the PA Department of Health, released long-awaited results of the PA Health and Environment Studies. Those results showed an alarming correlation between the health of kids living in Southwestern PA and fracking infrastructure. According to the studies, children living near fracking infrastructure faced a 4-5x higher likelihood of experiencing severe asthma attacks, requiring emergency room visits or hospitalization. They also had a 5-7x greater risk of developing lymphoma, as well as a lower average birth weight for babies born to mothers living within 10 miles of a well pad. These studies were added to a growing list of more than two dozen epidemiological studies and scores of other investigations that link fracking to health harms.
As the state presented this data to impacted community members, many promises were made to communities affected by the pollution from fracking infrastructure. This included families whose children had passed away or were currently ill with a variety of illnesses, including rare cancers.
The PA Department of Health promised the following:
- Provide continuing education to local healthcare providers on the O&G pollutant exposure
- Create initiative to educate schools on air quality
- Create a new Environmental Health Complaint process
- Update literature review
- Continue to review data and monitor cancer rates in fracking areas to determine any correlations between oil & gas pollution and health harms
- Continue working closely with other agencies
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has failed to take substantial measures to properly execute the crucial action items outlined above.
The agency works under the direction of Governor Josh Shapiro, who is no stranger to the harms of the oil and gas industry. As Attorney General, Josh Shapiro brought criminal charges against two oil and gas operators and led the 43rd statewide grand jury investigation, which declared in 2020 that Pennsylvania failed to protect its citizens from the shale gas boom and provided specific recommendations for the state to take action.
We’re demanding answers as to why Governor Shapiro’s Department of Health has failed to fulfill the essential promises made to residents in the shale gas field. These residents have discovered that living near fracking may be harming their children’s health.
