Southwestern PA Community Urges Lawmakers to Further Methane Rules for Natural Gas Industry

Residents of Canonsburg, PA and surrounding counties came together on the evening of January 26, 2017 to discuss the health and safety of their communities in light of natural gas development in Southwestern PA. At the Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe, more than 60 community members gathered to share their stories and lend their voices to a discussion calling decision makers to action on community protections from harmful methane emissions. The event also featured a panel of diverse experts who shed light on the impacts of fracking across the state.

Pennsylvania is the nation’s second largest producer of natural gas. Numerous studies indicate that pollutants leaked from natural gas wells are impacting air quality and public health. Accordingly to panelist and toxicologist Dr. Jim Fabisiak, “Exposures to these agents can lead to increased risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, asthma exacerbation, respiratory dysfunction and adverse reproductive outcomes.”

The expert panel helped attendees cut through the clutter of misinformation surrounding natural gas drilling. Panelists included:

• Jim Fabisiak, PhD, a Toxicologist at the University of Pittsburgh, discussed the state of air quality in Southwestern PA and how the emissions of pollutants including methane gas impact these communities.
• Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, Executive Director of Women for a Healthy Environment, examined why children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to air pollutants. She also shared the PA Healthy Schools Map as a tool for local parents to identify potential environmental hazards near public schools.
• Laura Dagley, BSN, RN, Medical Outreach Coordinator for the Environmental Health Project, discussed the short-term symptoms she has observed among those living near gas operations, and what community members can do to protect themselves.
• Reverend Mitch Hescox, President of the Evangelical Environmental Network, discussed the moral obligation to protect human life and the environment, as well as a clear path to improving air quality through regulations at the state and federal levels.

The panelists also discussed Pennsylvania’s long history in the energy business. Speaking of lessons learned after working for 14 years in the coal industry, Reverend Hescox said, "We have a history in PA of not cleaning up our messes, and it’s time we take action with methane and natural gas."

Event attendees called for increased oversight of natural gas drilling, urging local lawmakers to enact regulations that would reduce the emissions of harmful methane gas at every stage of the natural gas extraction process.

“It’s critical for community members in regions affected by fracking to have a forum to discuss the health and safety of their families,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director and Chief Counsel for the Clean Air Council. “Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania legislature have the power to institute pollutant reduction measures that will have significant, positive impacts on our air quality. But we need affected residents to continue conversations about the health of their communities– the importance of this cannot be overstated.”

Several organizations contributed to the organization of this community event, including the Clean Air Council, the Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), the Evangelical Environmental Network and Moms Clean Air Force.

About Clean Air Council

Clean Air Council is a member-supported, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air. The Council is headquartered in Philadelphia and works through public education, community advocacy, and government oversight to ensure enforcement of environmental laws. For more information, please visit www.cleanair.org.