Report points to health problems from fracking in Pa.
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Report points to health problems from fracking in Pa.
It seems like just last week that a bunch of Serious Men in Suits came to Philadelphia to tout all the wonderful things that natural gas drilling -- a.k.a. fracking -- was already bringing to the Keystone State. Really? I'd advise them to tell that to Beth Voyles' dog -- were it not for the fact that the dog has already up and died. Here is the reality of gas drilling -- as opposed to the fairy tale that was marketed at the Pennsylvania Convention Center -- in an explosive report from ProPublica about growing health problems tied to fracking here and in three other states.
An excerpt:
In September 2009, Range Resources began drilling a natural gas well near the home of Beth Voyles in one of the most heavily drilled counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. The following spring, Range began filling a giant waste impoundment near Voyles' home, and wastewater accumulated in puddles on the dirt roads, where the water was sprayed to hold down the dust, according to a lawsuit Voyles filed against the state and interviews with ProPublica.
The family immediately noticed a stench, and its dog, which lapped the fluid from the puddles, got sick. A veterinarian determined that the dog had been exposed to ethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze that is also used in hydraulic fracturing. The dog's organs began to crystalize, and ultimately failed, the vet told Voyles, and the family had to euthanize the dog. A short time later the family had to euthanize a horse after it exhibited similar symptoms, Voyles told ProPublica. "If it's crystalizing their organs," Voyles said of her animals, "just how long before it's going to do that to us?"
Then the whole family started getting rashes, aches and blisters in their noses and throats. Her doctors couldn't pinpoint what was causing their symptoms. "You feel like you're drugged because your brain's not thinking," she said. "We want our life back."When Voyles began to suspect drilling might be the cause, she had her doctors run blood tests for hemicals known to be used in the processes. The results came back showing high levels of benzene, toluene and arsenic.
Read the whole thing -- and then ask Tom Corbett if he has any other plan for "jobs, jobs, jobs" that isn't going to kill your family pet.
(Photo of Susan Wallace-Babb of Texas taken by Erin Trieb for ProPublica)
Things were so great in the ninetennth century.— SteveMG- It will only be a matter of time before someone wakes up and recognizes the harm "fracking" causes. There will be books written and movies produced. And none of them will have a happy ending. At a time when money is so scarce in this country, governors and other politicians who seek to stay in office will only see $ signs from all this.
I was in upstate PA not so long ago. It was the first time I had been up there in several years. It is amazing what "Progress" looks like. Gas wells dotted the landscape. Rarely traveled dirt roads were now paved and widen so that drilling teams could get to well sites with all their machinery. I'm no tree hugger but it saddened me to see such a calm, clean countryside ruined with Big Money. I feel sorry for the people living around these "frackers". But, sooner or later the byproduct of fracking will start to affect more than just the country sides. You don't mess with drinking water and its sources.— jbob123451 
Comment removed.- This is about the 100th story on this topic by you Will. Going to tie Ed Rendell in your blame here? Any stories upcoming on "Fast and Furious" or the Solyndra scam? I figure a muckraker like you would be all over these stories. Ask Chairman Soros for permission to write about them please...— Timo3004
- Will, I used to have a dog. He died and I have no idea what caused his death. No one ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death .....it was a dead dog, we had the SPCA take care of the remains and that was that.— RufusG
- What is ironic is that I'm trying to root for the Eagles right now even though they have a quarterback that used to kill dogs as a past time.— RufusG
- ."When Voyles began to suspect drilling might be the cause, she had her doctors run blood tests for hemicals known to be used in the processes. The results came back showing high levels of benzene, toluene and arsenic.
Not just the dog and the horse. Real live human beings. Oh thats right you tea party lemmings could care less. Just as long as we allow corporations to run free and make enormous profits.
If this was happening to one of your own. The crying and wailing would be deafeming. Why didn't obama stop this. Or the usual refrain from you lemmings "It's all that marxists fault" You people are beneath contempt. I wouldn't lift a finger to help any of you if this were to happen to you. Sickening, neocons. - @jfeliccia- I'm guessing English is your second language.
— Yankee Air Pirate 12 - Everyone should watch HBO's Gasland before commenting further. Most will be in agreement that fracking has to stop. Get it from Netflix.— RickVS
Many of the same promises were made during the coal boom. The aftermath was many ramshackle towns surrounded by denuded, strip mined hills and poisoned water ways, with the rich coal barons long gone out of town. Fracking will be the same, with the rich getting richer and the poor promised much and getting a raw deal in the end. Not that the Tea Party cares. As long as Rich people get tax cuts and get to make a profit at any expense, things are peachy.- Comment removed.
- Hahaha, Bill Atkins! People are getting sick and animals are dying. Let's all laugh it up!— philliesphan79
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