By David Kowalski
An Economic Impact Study was Funded Last Year
The $132,600,000,000 budget passed by New York State last week did not include funds for a $100,000 study intended to protect the health of NY residents from the fallout of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) already seen in other states.
Many lawmakers, as well as the governor and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), seem bent on moving forward on unconventional shale-gas drilling. Sadly, they ignored sound advice from 250
physicians and healthcare/scientific experts
[1] who recognize the lack of a Health Impact Assessment as a major flaw in the DEC’s draft hydrofracking regulations.
Dr. Gina Solomon, a physician with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said health concerns include air pollution, potential contamination of ground or surface water with methane or chemicals used in fracturing fluids, fires or explosions, heavy truck traffic, and altered social conditions.
In a Senate Session on the 2012-2013 Budget
last week, Senator Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, spoke on the budget. He said that "in
other states where high-volume hydraulic fracturing is occurring there
are health impact studies that I believe that the DOH [Dept. of Health]
to the advisory council is going to be taking a look at. It's very
difficult to do a health study on high-volume hydraulic fracturing in NY
state when it's not occurring here." [see
video here]
Human health impacts deserve far more investigation than "a look." A proper study requires research and funding. Also,
the fact that high-volume hydraulic fracturing is "not occurring here" in NY
did not stop the DEC from
hiring a consulting firm, Ecology and Environment Inc., to do an economic study at a cost of $223,000.
That study [4Mb PDF] was in fact based primarily on the occurrence of hydrofracking in the
neighboring state of Pennsylvania.
The Assembly Majority had
already passed a bill calling for a health study. The $100,000 study would include research into other states' experiences with
fracking. It would estimate costs of any health impacts to the state, insurers,
employers and the health care system and include a long-term plan for
monitoring and mitigating health impacts.
The Senate drafted a health impact assessment bill to fund an in-depth $300,000 study. Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens), the bill's sponsor and a
member of the Environmental Conservation Committee,
said in a statement, "Before we allow companies to start drilling for gas and pumping
chemicals near our watersheds, it is only reasonable that a study be
conducted to provide us with more information about the hydrofracking
process and the potential health impacts."
At the 2012-2013 Budget session
last week, Sen. Avella introduced an amendment to environmental budget legislation
that would have included a health impact assessment on hydrofracking. Avella said, "No
matter which side of the aisle you are on, whether you are for
hydrofracking or against hydrofracking, the very fact that we could do
this process without analyzing the seismic or health impacts of
hydrofracking, in my opinion is an absolute disgrace." [see
video here]
Senator Avella, the Senate Democratic Conference, and the Assembly Majority should be commended for demonstrating
their leadership and dedication to protecting
the health and well-being of the people of New York.
The bill (S.6772) sponsored by Avella is currently in the
Environmental Conservation Committee chaired by Senator Grisanti.
Claire Sandberg, Executive Director of Water Defense,
said,
“One only need to look at the devastation wreaked by fracking in
Pennsylvania to see that gas drilling cannot be done safely. There are
perhaps hundreds of families just across the border who are without
access to safe drinking water because of fracking-related contamination.
How can we trust our elected officials who say we can regulate this
inherently dangerous practice, if they don't even support basic funding
to study its effect on our public health?"
A full
assessment of its health impacts must be completed before a decision can
be made about whether or not hydrofracking is permitted in New York.
Kate Hudson, Watershed Program Director at NY Riverkeeper said, "We would still call on the governor to take action. He is
in a position to accept or reject any of the proposed change. We think this is way too important and we are going to continue to lobby the Legislature."
Dr. Sandra Steingraber speaks to the DEC about their recent Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) and calls for a comprehensive study on the Health Impacts of hydrofracking. Listen:
Footnote:
[1] Experts included
the Medical Society of the State of New York, the American Academy of
Pediatrics of New York State, the NY State Nurses Association, the
Academy of Family Physicians of New York State, and over 250 individual
physicians and scientists.
