along the proposed pipeline route have been identified as being at risk for similar accidents. The Pennsylvania Utility Commission is fighting in court to keep its calculations on potential damage if such accidents occured secret, even though a recent investigation by Spotlight PA found many communities in the "blast zone"-the areas adjacent to the pipeline that could be engulfed in flames in the event of a pipe- line explosion lack adequate emergency response plans.
Gillian told the group that they planned to canvas in the blast zone nearby to inform residents they'd be at risk if the pipeline is completed.
"Oh, we're canvassing, ladies!" chirped the oldest of the group, a spry 81-year-old. "Ifwe can stop the pipeline, we can stop the well pads. I'm getting my muckboots out!"
Gillian initially started Protect PT in 2015 because she wanted to stop a fracking well proposal about a quarter of a mile from her house in neighboring Penn Township. So far, her efforts have been successful-the well, which is owned by Apex Energy, received a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2018, but has yet to be drilled in part because of Protect PT lawsuits.
But that fracking well victory is over- shadowed by a vast industrial infrastructure in the state and the region that goes well beyond unconventional drilling.
In the summer of 2019, EHN collected air, water, and urine samples from five households in southwestern Pennsylvania, including Ann and Gillian's families, and had them analyzed for chemicals associated with fracking. EHN included Ann and Gillian's families because they live further away from fracking wells than the families we looked at in Washington County. However, despite their relative distance from fracking wells, we found they also faced above average levels of exposure to numerous chemicals associated with pollution from the oil and gas industry.
While Project PT and similar groups target new pipelines, or plastics plants, or fracking wells in court-or just the court of public opinion-it has become a game of whack-a-mole in a state where oil and
gas production, infrastructure, and transportation are so ubiquitous.
"It's just alarming to think that with all the stuff that we're doing to be careful, we're still being exposed to all these chemicals," Gillian told EHN.
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What emissions can we monitor?
Particulate Matter(PM) - Particulate Matter is tiny particles that travel on the air we breathe. It is a prime way VOCs, which easily attach to particles in the air, are introduced into the body and can cause serious health effects. With oil and gas development PM is one of the largest contributors to these negative health impacts. The presence of PMs can be measured using an air quality monitor such as the Purple Air monitor. To participate in a program for monitoring your air quality click here or see the form below to get started.
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) - VOCs are organic chemical compounds that easily become vapors and affect the quality of your indoor and outdoor air. The compounds released from oil and gas drilling contain known and suspected carcinogens and can cause short and long-term health impacts. VOC's can be measured in your home or outdoors using a SUMMA canister to draw in a sample of your air, which is then sent to a lab for analysis. Click here if you would like to learn more about SUMMA canister testing and analysis.
Radon - Radon, the #1 cause of lung cancer outside of smoking, is a radioactive gas that everyone breathes in every day, usually at low levels, according to the National Cancer Institute. The levels of radon in the air are known to increase in the presence of oil and gas drilling. It is measured with a radon monitor usually placed in your basement. For information on reducing your exposure to radon in your home click here.
To learn more about these pollutants and how to protect your health visit the Protect Our Children Coalition website and download the Health Impacts Powerpoint Presentation.
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