On Wednesday, CNX Resources released initial results from its environmental monitoring collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This partnership, emphasizing “radical transparency” around fracking operations, was announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration in November.
According to CNX, their natural gas development poses “no public health risks.” CEO and President Nick Deiuliis stated in a press release that CNX’s natural gas drilling is “safe and inherently good for the communities where we operate.”
This statement contradicts numerous studies on the impacts of the unconventional gas industry on health, the environment, and the climate. The latest edition of a compendium of findings related to fracking found “no evidence” that fracking can be done without threatening human health.
In 2023, Shapiro highlighted the partnership would “advance commonsense measures to defend public health and safety while protecting jobs” and set a “new standard for Pennsylvania’s natural gas to be produced responsibly and sustainably.”
As part of the collaboration, CNX agreed to increase setbacks from drilling sites from 500 to 600 feet, and up to 2,500 feet for sites near schools and hospitals. Additionally, they committed to intensive air and water quality monitoring, with the administration agreeing to consider this data before suggesting policy changes.
Since November, CNX claims to have collected over 100,000 data measurements of emissions from 14 sites. They measured concentrations of PM2.5 and BTEX compounds, a group of toxic chemicals linked to fossil fuel production. The company stated its emissions fall “well below science-based air quality standards.”
CNX retains the right to delay or suspend its air quality data, and its agreement with the government does not require disclosure of trade-secret chemicals used in fracking.
For anti-fracking activists and environmental groups, the CNX report signals a lack of serious commitment from the Shapiro administration to regulating the oil and gas industry. They argue that the initial disappointment and anger over the partnership were justified.
Dr. Ned Ketyer, a pediatrician and president of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, criticized the report, stating it lacks transparency and does not mention any chemicals used for fracking. He also noted the absence of information on water quality or radioactivity.
The Shapiro administration has not responded to requests for comment.
Environmental advocates highlight hundreds of violations CNX has faced since 2020 and criminal charges for violating the Air Pollution Control Act in 2021. Critics say CNX’s data is cherry-picked, only measuring a few pollutants around select wells.
Shannon Smith, executive director of FracTracker Alliance, stated that CNX’s report contains “outrageous claims and misinformation,” and accuses the company of making “snarky jabs” at local nonprofits advocating for affected families.
CNX asserted that unfounded accusations and innuendo drive current narratives about the health impacts of natural gas development. They accused opponents of using “speculation, emotion, fear, and ideology” instead of relying on objective facts and data.
Smith and Ketyer believe CNX’s report is aimed at investors, especially following recent news that Piper Sandler downgraded their outlook on the company.
In their report, CNX criticized studies on the health impacts of fracking by the University of Pittsburgh, which found increased risks of worsening asthma, lower birth weights, and lymphoma in children living near fracking wells.
Carmi Orenstein, co-author of the compendium on fracking, noted that the Pittsburgh studies are part of a larger body of independent research on fracking and public health. She stated that dismissing these studies undermines the work of numerous experts and their findings.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania Department of Health’s cancer registry, and DOH’s birth registry provided data for these studies. Ketyer emphasized that epidemiological studies build evidence and that there is now substantial evidence showing fracking’s harmful effects on the environment.
Since the studies’ publication, the Shapiro administration has not publicly commented on the results. CNX accused independent researchers of using ambiguous statistics to achieve their desired conclusions, but Orenstein countered that scientists aim to shed light on the health impacts of fracking under challenging circumstances.
Orenstein said peer-reviewed studies document an “unfolding public health crisis” related to fracking. She criticized the governor for aligning with a company that denies these findings.
A spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health thanked the communities for their contributions to the health studies, which significantly enhance understanding of the health impacts of unconventional natural gas development.
The CNX partnership provisions addressed some recommendations from a 2020 grand jury report on fracking led by Shapiro as attorney general, which called for expanded well setbacks and mandatory disclosure of all fracking chemicals.
Ketyer noted some improvements since the report’s release, such as better communication between the Department of Health and DEP and quicker responses from DOH to health complaints near fracking sites. The grand jury report detailed various health issues experienced by residents near fracking sites.
“Of all people, Governor Shapiro should know better,” Ketyer said, citing Shapiro’s involvement in the grand jury investigation and knowledge of the impacts on Pennsylvanians.
“He knows that people have gotten sick and are getting sick. He knows that farmers have lost animals. He knows that people have lost their drinking water. He knows that fracking is accelerating the climate crisis,” Ketyer said. “He knows, but the fact is, he’s complicit in allowing this to continue.”
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org