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<p>SCRANTON &#8212; In response to a report released Tuesday morning highlighting the proximity of fracking operations to children, the elderly and the sick, several health organizations launched a coalition, Pennsylvania Heath Professionals for a Livable Future.</p><p>Among those represented in the group are the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, PennEnvironment, Physicians for Social Responsibility, SEIU Healthcare and Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project.</p><p>Speakers at a ceremony announcing the organization included Barbara Arrindell, director, Damascus Citizens; Deb Bronn, RN, director, Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare; Zoe Cina-Sklar, campaign organizer, PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center; and Dr. April Niver, economic development coordinator for U.S. Rep Matt Cartwright.</p><p>Cina-Sklar explained the report, titled &#8220;Dangerous and Close,&#8221; uses data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other state agencies to &#8220;demonstrate the proximity of fracking operations and associated infrastructure to Pennsylvania&#8217;s most vulnerable populations: children, the elderly and the sick.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Pennsylvania&#8217;s children shouldn&#8217;t live, learn and play in the shadow of dangerous fracking,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We must take basic steps to protect our kids and other vulnerable populations from the health impacts of fracking and advocate on their behalf, in a political system that often favors fracking companies over the health of ordinary Pennsylvanians.&#8221;</p><p>The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), an organization that works to &#8220;address issues regarding the production of clean, job-creating, American natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shale plays,&#8221; as of press deadline, did not yet issue a statement regarding the PennEnvironment report. The organization did, however, release a relevant video, titled &#8220;The Faces of Shale,&#8221; following its annual meeting earlier this month. Available online at youtu.be/KZHfbwuS7MQ, the video addresses some of the issues covered in the report.</p><p>&#8220;While there&#8217;s no question that our industry continues to face strong headwinds, the economic, environmental and energy security benefits tied to responsible shale development continue to positively improve livelihoods and communities across the Commonwealth,&#8221; said MSC president David Spigelmyer in a news release distributed with the video.</p><p>&#8220;Dangerous and Close&#8221; reveals there are 166 schools and 165 childcare providers, 21 nursing care providers and six hospitals within one mile of permitted fracking well sites.</p><p>The opening paragraph of the report&#8217;s executive summary reads, &#8220;Using the extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, gas companies are drilling near our communities, polluting our air and water and risking the health of our children and other vulnerable populations. &#8216;Fracking&#8217; involves injecting water, sand and a mixture of chemicals at high pressures deep underground, breaking up rock formations to release natural gas. Blowouts, fires and explosions can occur at well sites and drilling and extraction can contaminate our air and water, putting the health and well-being of nearby citizens at risk. This is particularly true for Pennsylvania&#8217;s most vulnerable residents: infants, school children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.&#8221;</p><p>The MSC, however, refers to the proximity of the natural gas industry to local schools in a positive light.</p><p>The video shows a cafeteria of an elementary school in the Elk Lake School District, which is heated by natural gas coming from the Marcellus Shale.</p><p>&#8220;Our local natural resources are helping our school system,&#8221; said Elk Lake Superintendent Kenneth Kuomo in the video. &#8220;It&#8217;s been a tremendous boost.&#8221;</p><p>The PennEnvironment report summary goes on to list two pages of statistics and other findings, some of which are as follows:</p><p>&#8226; About 53,000 children under the age of 10 and 41,000 senior citizens age 75 and older live within one mile of permitted fracking well sites in the state.</p><p>&#8226; 52 schools, 51 child care providers, two nursing care facilities and two hospitals are located within one mile of natural gas compressor stations in Pennsylvania.</p><p>&#8226; Between 2001 and March 2015, the DEP recorded nearly 5,200 public safety and environmental violations at fracking sites, many of which were in close proximity to those vulnerable populations.</p><p>&#8226; The gas industry projects drilling on 60,000 shale gas wells by 2030.</p><p>The report calls for the protection of &#8220;the Commonwealth&#8217;s children, elderly and sick&#8221; by way of a state moratorium on additional fracking operations, at least until several measures, listed as follows, are in place.</p><p>&#8226; A minimum setback requirement of one mile for all fracking operations and associated infrastructure relative to schools, child care providers, hospitals and nursing care facilities.</p><p>&#8226; A ban on the use of fracking waste pits and toxic chemicals in fracking fluid.</p><p>&#8226; An increase of sanctions on oil and gas companies for violations committed near the &#8220;vulnerable populations.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; Increased enforcement, including regular inspections and mandatory penalties, to ensure drillers are following regulations set to protect the public.</p><p>The full report can be accessed online at bit.ly/1OGNdh8.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Members of the newly launched coalition Pennsylvania Health Professionals for a Livable Future speak in front of The Commonwealth Medical College Medical Sciences Building Tuesday morning. From left, Barbara Arrindell, director, Damascus Citizens; Deb Bronn, RN, director, Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare; Zoe Cina-Sklar, campaign organizer, PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center and Dr. April Niver, economic development coordinator for Congressman Matt Cartwright. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Members of the newly launched coalition Pennsylvania Health Professionals for a Livable Future speak in front of The Commonwealth Medical College Medical Sciences Building Tuesday morning. From left, Barbara Arrindell, director, Damascus Citizens; Deb Bronn, RN, director, Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare; Zoe Cina-Sklar, campaign organizer, PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center and Dr. April Niver, economic development coordinator for Congressman Matt Cartwright. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Cina-Sklar </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Cina-Sklar </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Niver </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Niver </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bronn </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Bronn </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Arrindell </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL-Fracking-5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Arrindell </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Coalition launched in response to document</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Elizabeth Baumeister</p><p>ebaumeister@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Elizabeth Baumeister at 570-704-3943 or on Twitter @AbingtonJournal</p></shirttailMeta></div>

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Research center releases report on proximity of fracking operations to vulnerable population, new coalition launched