Marcellus Outreach Butler
Connect with us
  • Home
  • Get Involved
    • Join Our Mailing List
    • Write Letters to the Editor
    • Contact Elected Officials
    • Track Permit Activity
    • Local Groups
    • PAF Farmers Letter to Governor Wolf
  • Concerned?
    • Krendale Neighbors
    • Emergency Contacts for Gasfield Residents
    • File a Complaint or Report an Incident
    • Property Values
    • Before You Sign a Lease
    • Water Testing
  • Fracking Impacts
    • Toxic Chemicals
    • Human Health Impacts
    • First Person Experiences
    • The Impact of Act 13 (HB 1950)
  • Resources
    • MOB Generated Info >
      • Butler Water Supply at Risk
      • Bat Signal
      • Spill Baby Spill
    • Books >
      • Fracking
      • Climate Change
    • Films
    • Websites
  • Membership & Giving
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Blog

Stick to the Facts

12/16/2015

 
I am responding to David Spigelmyer's letter ("Stick to the Facts") in the Dec. 13 Butler Eagle, and also to the Jeer in that same edition that made light of health studies related to unconventional drilling.

In his letter, Mr. Spigelmyer touts Pennsylvania's strong regulatory framework with regard to the oil and gas industry, while imploring us to "stick to the facts."  With pleasure...

Fact: a recent Harrisburg Patriot-News investigation has uncovered "systemic failures" on the part of state regulators to enforce environmental, health and safety standards for the multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry.   http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/10/state_regulators_fail_to_prote.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Fact: The federal Environmental Protection Agency has found "major issues" with the Pennsylvania DEP in a recent review of DEP practices.  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/11/federal_regulators_find_major.html

Fact: The EPA itself is under fire from its own scientists re: a study of fracking's effects on drinking water; the scientists refute the study's claim that fracking "has not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States."  http://insideclimatenews.org/news/19112015/fracking-water-pollution-epa-study-natural-gas-drilling?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=3c54768dcb-Weekly_Newsletter_11_22_201511_20_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-3c54768dcb-327748361

What we have here is a case of tumbling regulatory dominoes, making it doubtful that the public can trust the oil and gas industry to be adequately regulated at any level, state or federal.

Both Mr. Spigelmyer's letter and the editorial Jeer refer to health studies done in relation to unconventional drilling.  Regarding such studies, let's be clear: none of these studies are "conclusive."  All of them point to the need for further research.  So by all means let's throw caution to the wind and "drill baby drill" near schools and residential areas until all the research is completed!   How many times have we done this in our nation's sad industrial-health history, only to rue the consequences later?

Health care practitioners at the Southwest PA Environmental Health Project in Washington County are assisting residents with medical issues that reflect those being indicated by these studies.
In the press release to the Johns Hopkins University study linking proximity of unconventional drilling to premature births and high-risk pregnancies, lead researcher Dr. Brian Schwartz, MD states: "The first studies have all shown health impacts.  Policymakers need to consider findings like these in thinking about how they allow this industry to go forward."  http://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2015/study-fracking-industry-wells-associated-with-premature-birth.html
Meanwhile, local policymakers in Middlesex and Butler townships and other municipalities in Butler County have seen fit to approve unconventional drilling in close proximity to schools and residential neighborhoods in the face of all scientific medical research and what most of us consider sound zoning practices.  In the zoning boards as well as the lower courts there seem to be two and only two guiding principles with regard to zoning for drilling, both of which benefit leaseholders: 1.) a person has the right to develop his property as he sees fit, and 2.) a person can get money from this kind of development.

This new approach to "zoning" poses significant soul-searching for me as I try to figure out the most profitable use for my half-acre.  A methadone clinic?  An adult bookstore?  Maybe a small-scale nuclear waste dumping site?  Points to ponder.  At least there's one thing which apparently I don't need to worry about: how any of these options might impact my neighbors...

Hey -- I got my rights!!!

Mr. Spigelmyer's comments are to be expected from someone who is paid handsomely by the gas industry to make it look good.  And I suppose the disparaging editorial comments from a newspaper that receives thousands of dollars annually in advertisements (read: propaganda) from the gas industry is to be expected as well.

j.p.m.

Comments are closed.

    Authors

    Blog posts written by members of Marcellus Outreach Butler.

    Archives

    April 2017
    February 2017
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    13
    Act
    Act 13
    Action
    Activism
    Air Pollution
    Alternative Energy
    Aquifer
    Banking
    Birth Defects
    Butler Township
    Cement Casings
    Chainsaw
    Challenge
    Chemicals Used
    Children
    Children's Health
    Civil Disobedience
    Civil Rights
    Clean Air Act
    Clean Air Council
    Clean Energy
    Clean Water Act
    Climate Change
    Commomwealth Court
    Concerned Health Professionals Of New York
    Constitution
    Constitution Pipeline
    Contaminated Water
    County Commissioners
    Court
    Cutting Trees For Pipelines
    Deception
    Definition
    Delaware Riverkeeper Network
    Dep
    Doctor
    Drilling Ban
    EMA
    Emergency Management
    Eminent Domain
    Energy Revolution
    Environment
    Environmental Impacts
    Environmental Regulations
    Evacuation
    Farmers
    Farmers Against Fracking
    Farms
    Farm Show
    Flaring
    Flowback
    Forest Stewardship Program
    Fracking
    Franklin Township
    Gas Industry Lies
    Gas Lease
    Gerhart
    Geyer Wellpad
    Governor Tom Wolf
    Grandparents
    Groundwater Contamination Cases
    Halliburtan Loophole
    Health
    Health & Safety
    Health Study
    Holleran
    Holleran-Zeffer
    Hormone-disrupting
    House Bill 1950
    Impact Fees
    Jackson Township
    James Cromwell
    Lake Arthur
    Law
    Law Suit
    Lawyer
    Legislation
    Long Term Effects
    Long-term Effects
    Maggie Henry
    Maple Farm
    Maple Sugaring
    Margaret Flower
    Mars Parent Group
    Mars School Board
    Mars Schools
    M.D.
    Middlesex Planning Commission
    Middlesex Township
    Moraine State Park
    Mortgage
    Municipal Water
    Nonviolent Direct Action
    Pa Constitution
    Pediatrician
    Pennsylvanians Against Fracking
    Pipeline
    Property Value
    Proposed Processing Plant
    Protest
    Radiation
    Rally
    Real Estate
    Renewable Energy
    Rep. Brian Ellis
    Residential Drilling
    Resist
    Rex Energy
    Rights Of The People
    Sacrifice Zone
    Safety
    School
    Seneca Valley School
    Sen. White
    Solar
    Stephen Cleghorn
    Stop The Frack Attack
    Supreme Court Ruling
    Sustainable
    Tar Sands
    Tourism
    Unconventional
    Vehicle Acidents
    Violations
    Water
    Water Testing
    Well Casings
    Well Integrity
    Wendell Berry
    Woodlands
    XTO
    Zoning

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.