![]() ![]() asthma via We have now completed several health studies in partnership with the Geisinger Health System, which provides primary care to over 450,000 patients in Pennsylvania, including many residing in fracking areas. Other sources of stress can be an influx of temporary workers, seeing industrial development in what used to be a rural area, heavy truck traffic and concerns about declining home prices.Ī study found higher rates of asthma for people who lived near bigger or a larger number of unconventional gas wells. These vary during the different phases of well development and have different scales of impact: Vibration may affect only people very close to wells, whereas stress from, for example, concerns about possible water contamination may have a wider reach. The rapid development of the industry can also lead to social disruption, higher crime rates and anxiety. Communities near fracking operations can experience noise, light, vibration and truck traffic, as well as air, water and soil pollution. ![]() The liquids create fissures that release the natural gas in the shale rock.Īs fracking became commercially viable, oil and gas drilling companies entered communities with shale gas resources, which can have a number of local effects. ![]() The process of fracking involves vertical and horizontal drilling, often for more than 10,000 feet below the surface, followed by the injection of millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand at high pressures. Which exposures and health outcomes to study? Not unexpectedly, the oil and gas industry has countered our findings with pointed criticism. These, together with other studies, form a growing body of evidence that unconventional natural gas development is having detrimental effects on health. We have published three studies, which evaluated birth outcomes, asthma exacerbations and symptoms, including nasal and sinus, fatigue and migraine headache symptoms. Indeed, only recently have rigorous health studies on the impact of unconventional natural gas development on health been completed. Often, economic and energy development trump environmental and health concerns, leaving public health playing “catch-up.” Tensions between economic development, energy policy and environmental and health concerns are common in public health’s history. But other states, including Maryland and New York, have not permitted drilling because of the potential for environmental and health impacts. States like Pennsylvania, where almost 10,000 wells have been drilled since 2005, continued development. Public health professionals trumpeted their concerns, and epidemiologists launched health studies of the industry. Nearby residents reported a variety of common symptoms and sources of stress. Yet early on, communities where fracking spread raised doubts. The first states to begin unconventional natural gas development with fracking have cited potential economic, energy and community benefits. The fracking industry has been an energy success story: Natural gas prices have decreased as fracking has skyrocketed, and natural gas now produces more electricity than coal does, which has resulted in improved air quality. ![]()
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