Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project

At EHP we are aware that the lack of objective, reliable data on the health effects of UOGD activities raises many questions about the origins of residents’ health problems and the scope of public health risks in communities. We do not, however, see this uncertainty as a cause for inaction. As public health professionals we know that the perception in the community of environmental dangers, along with plausible sources of hazardous substances, are reason enough to provide a public health response.

While governmental agencies and other institutions are beginning the extensive research required to help determine adverse health and environmental impacts on regions affected by UOGD, this type of research takes a long time to conduct. We know people need information and help now.

Air and water monitoring and data analysis:
Dissemination of Speck air monitors and CATTFish water monitors to over 600 residents in PA, WV, OH, NY, and CA since 2013, with follow-up reports;
Development of Speck data analysis tools that allow EHP to craft reports for residents describing the number, duration, and intensity of particulate matter (PM2.5) “peaks,” and impact of wind direction, weather, and geography on residents’ exposures;
Integration of governmental data sets into EHP’s air analyses to inform communities about their potential exposures to a range of chemicals emitted from UOGD wells, compressor stations, and other infrastructure.
Public health data collection, analysis and intervention
Completion of over 550 home environment and health assessments of residents in PA, NY, and CA conducted by EHP’s nurse practitioner and other healthcare providers;
Collection of quantitative and qualitative data characterizing the psycho-social impacts of fracking followed by the creation of a toolkit designed to help residents manage those impacts by addressing their sources;
Establishment of first nationwide Shale Gas & Oil Health Registry and Resource Network to begin systematically tracking emission exposures and potentially associated health symptoms;
Currently engaged in development of a health impact assessment (HIA) tool that will provide communities with a framework in which to discuss potential health impacts as they weigh the decision whether to allow UOGD to proceed.

Outreach and Education
Education of health care professionals about UOGD-related health symptoms through EHP’s CME/CEU-bearing Medical Toolkit, info sheets, webinars, and conferences;
Introduction of the Environmental Health Channel (envhealthchannel.org) which allows users to explore the correlation between health symptoms and air emissions using EHP health assessments and Speck monitoring in PA (and ultimately across the country);
Presentation of our tools, activities and analyses at EHP-sponsored events in SWPA, at grassroots organization meetings and conferences across the country, state and federal government briefings, webinars and academic conferences, and through regular EHP email blasts, and FaceBook and Twitter posts;
Dissemination of Citizen Science Toolkit which explains how communities can partner with EHP by collecting air, water, and health data in UOGD regions that we can analyze for use in policy advocacy on the local, state, and national levels.

Journal publications
1. Human exposure to unconventional natural gas development: A public health demonstration of periodic high exposure to chemical mixtures in ambient air, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 50:5, in 2015 by David R. Brown, Celia Lewis & Beth I. Weinberger and Understanding exposure from natural gas drilling puts current air standards to the test, Reviews on Environmental health, 29:4, in 2014 by David Brown, Beth Weinberger , Celia Lewis and Heather Bonaparte.

Team members’ expertise:

Air/water quality assessment
Community organizing/outreach
Health education
Health policy
Social work
Statistical analysis
Toxicology

Health Care:
* Family practice
* Occupational medicine
* Pediatrics
* Psychiatry
* Public health
* Oncology

EHP has been at the forefront of public health responsiveness to UOGD, consistently translating the science into tangible tools and guidance for impacted community members. Our biggest accomplishment has been gaining and retaining the trust of local community members, who often feel they have no where else to turn for recourse and solutions, either at the local or state level.