From the dcbureau.org

By Peter Mantius, on March 9th, 2012

Highlights:

After natural gas drilling began near their rural homes about 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, Carol Moten and her neighbors noticed that their well water began to smell. Then came the headaches, skin lesions, and diarrhea, in household after household. A two-year-old dog fell over dead.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Corbett and the Republican political establishment have eagerly embraced fracking, touting its economic benefits and downplaying its possible health consequences. Corbett’s 52-member advisory panel on Marcellus Shale drilling has no members with health expertise, according to a recent analysis by professors at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. (Neither do advisory panels on gas drilling for the state of Maryland and for the U.S. Secretary of Energy.)

New York State, which is poised to allow high-volume hydro fracking of shale formations as soon as it completes its final rules, has rejected repeated calls for a thorough study of the health implications of fracking.

Read the rest of the story here:

http://www.dcbureau.org/201203097069/natural-resources-news-service/cuomo-and-corbett-ignore-health-concerns-from-gas-fracking.html

It’s not just about the fishing.  What will you do about it?

I think this link is interesting too.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/outdoors/s_785791.html

The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, John Arway, has suggested that rather than allowing the gas drillers to remove free water from the state’s rivers and streams, PA should charge them for it.  Arway is in a tough position.  The state’s governor, Tom Corbett, one of the Marcellus Shale industry’s hardest working advocates, is all-in with the frackers.  So Arway knows that halting water withdrawals will never happen.  I’m sure he sees this as a best case scenario.   But why stop at the water.  Maybe we can sell them our air too?  How about some trees?  We’ve already sold the state capital.  Might as well find out what we can get for the rest of it.  It’s “Dollar Days” in Pennsylvania.  Everything must go!

One last link: from SANDRA GORDON at pdr.com

http://www.ydr.com/opinion/ci_20138944/fracking-bad-deal-pa

And one last highlight:

Pennsylvania is as wide open to the energy industry as ever. In a state known for its environmental laxity, it’s a drilling paradise. The drillers can frack 500 feet away from a home or 1,000 feet from a public drinking source. Pennsylvania allows them to drill in our state land, parks, even on land owned by colleges, schools and public reservoirs, (Beaver Run).

Makes me proud to be a Pennsylvanian.