Earthworks Report Released: Gas Patch Roulette: How Shale Gas Development Risks Public Health in Pennsylvania

Recently, Earthworks a pro-environmental "nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible mineral and energy development while seeking sustainable solutions," released a report titled, Gas Patch Roulette: How Shale Gas Development Risks Public Health in Pennsylvania (2012). The 51-page report available here is alleged to be "[t]he largest health survey to-date of Marcellus Shale residents living near oil and gas development . . . [as the report] surveyed 108 residents in 14 Pennsylvania counties, and conducted air and water tests at more than half of the households were surveys were completed."  According to the website the main conclusions of the report are as follows;

1. Contaminants associated with oil and gas development are present in air and water in many communities where development is occurring.

2. Many residents have developed health symptoms that they did not have before—indicating the strong possibility that they are occurring because of gas development.

3. By permitting widespread gas development without fully understanding its impacts to public health—and using that lack of knowledge to justify regulatory inaction—Pennsylvania and other states are risking the public’s health.