First, Do No Harm: Get the Health Facts Now Is the Message From Petitioners to Obama
WASHINGTON, D.C.///December 13, 2012///Moving ahead rapidly with plans to approve several new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals would require “a rapid increase in fracking in the United States without credible science” and “could potentially cause undue harm to many Americans,” according to 107 experts who signed on to a petition sent today to the White House.
Facilitated by Physicians, Scientists, & Engineers for Healthy Energy (PSE), the petition is a response to the Obama Administration’s consideration of fast tracking of the permitting process for LNG export terminals that would trigger a substantial spike in the fracking of U.S. shale gas in order to meet foreign energy demands.
Signed by top U.S. medical professionals, researchers, and other scientists, the petition reads in part: “There is a growing body of evidence that unconventional natural gas extraction from shale (also known as ‘fracking’) may be associated with adverse health risks through exposure to polluted air, water, and soil. Public health researchers and medical professionals question the continuation of current levels of fracking without a full scientific understanding of the health implications. The opening of LNG export facilities would serve to accelerate fracking in the United States in absence of sound scientific assessment, placing policy before health.”
Seth B. Shonkoff, PhD, MPH, executive director, Physicians, Scientists, & Engineers for Healthy Energy (PSE), and environmental researcher, University of California, Berkeley, said: “The question here is very simple: Why would the United States dramatically increase the use of an energy extraction method without first ensuring that the trade-off is not the health of Americans in exchange for the energy demands of foreign nations? Health professionals are coming together today to urge the White House to make sure that we have the facts prior to making this decision. The only prudent thing to do here is to conduct the needed research first.”
Adam Law, MD, physician, Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca, NY, and Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers for Healthy Energy, said: “Researchers are finding measurable levels of pollutants from this industry in air and water that are associated with the risk of illness. The first studies to describe this are entering the scientific literature and public health researchers are embarking on multiple approaches to study the associated adverse health effects.”
Madelon L. Finkel, PhD, professor of clinical public health, and director of the Office of Global Health Education, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, said: “Natural gas has been in these shale formations for millions of years; it isn’t going anywhere and will be around for future generations. Society especially owes it to those living in areas with both active and planned drilling to study the potential for harm (to the environment and to human and animal health) and to act to reduce those factors that are shown to increase the risk of disease and even death.”
Louis W. Allstadt, former executive vice president, Mobil Oil Corporation, Cooperstown, NY, said: “The current unconventional oil and gas drilling process using High Volume Horizontal Hydro-Fracturing is a much more intensive industrial activity than conventional drilling, which was the norm until about 10 years ago. It requires far greater volumes of water and chemicals, as well as disposal of much larger volumes of toxic flow-back fluids. We need to fully study and understand the health effects of the significantly greater volumes of toxic materials that must be handled and disposed of with this process.”
The full text of the PSE petition reads as follows:
“We the undersigned medical and scientific professionals urge the Obama Administration to put a hold on moving forward on the construction of new liquefied natural gas terminals for the large-scale exportation of shale gas to foreign nations. Our concern is that the Administration has not fully examined the potential for harm to health and the environment that could result.
There is a growing body of evidence that unconventional natural gas extraction from shale (also known as ‘fracking’) may be associated with adverse health risks through exposure to polluted air, water, and soil.
Public health researchers and medical professionals question the continuation of current levels of fracking without a full scientific understanding of the health implications. The opening of LNG export facilities would serve to accelerate fracking in the United States in absence of sound scientific assessment, placing policy before health.
As the White House and the Department of Energy contemplate exporting LNG to accommodate international demand for energy, the need for a deliberative process based on sound science is all the more important. We assert that a guiding ethical principle for public policy on fracking should parallel that used by physicians: ‘First, do not harm.’
There is a need for much more scientific and epidemiologic information about the potential for harm from fracking. To facilitate a rapid increase in fracking in the United States without credible science is irresponsible and could potentially cause undue harm to many Americans.
Without well-designed scientific studies, we will not know the extent of potential harm from fracking. We strongly urge the Administration to err on the side of caution as it contemplates national policy regarding the exportation of shale gas.
The health professionals below sign as individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of their employer.”
For the full list of signers of the PSE petition, go to http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/events/view/144
ABOUT PSE
Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers for Healthy Energy is dedicated to supplying objective, evidence-based, scientific information and resources on unconventional gas development (high-volume hydrofracking) and other novel energy production methods. PSE’s mission is to bring transparency to the important scientific and public policy issues surrounding energy, helping to level the playing field for citizens, scientists, advocacy groups, media, and policy-makers. For more information, go to http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/.
MEDIA CONTACT: Patrick Mitchell, (703) 276-3266 or pmitchell@hastingsgroup.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on the Web at http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/ as of 6 p.m. EST on Dec 13, 2012.
Listen to the Audio
Letter Signatories:
Adam Law, MD Seth Shonkoff, PhD, MPHPhysicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy EnergyCayuga Medical Center
Weill Cornell Medical CollegePhysicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy EnergyUniversity of California, Berkeley
Ajay Pillarisetti, MPH, University of California, Berkeley
Alastair Iles, PhD, JD, University of California, Berkeley
Allison Wilson, PhD, Science Director, The Bioscience Resource Project
Amelia Pare, MD, President Elect, Allegheny County Medical Association
Ann Marie O’Reilly, MSEd, OTR/L Holy Childhood, Inc.
Anne Neirynck, NP, IthacaMed
Antoinette Kuzminski, MD
Audrie L. Paluselli, RN, UPMC Mercy Hospital Pittsburgh, Pa
Barbara White, RNC, MS, FNP, Department of Medicine, Gannett Health Services
Byron Demopoulos, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital
Catherine Thomasson, MD, Executive Director, Physician for Social Responsibility, Washington, DC
Charles Garbo, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Claire Cifaloglio, MD, Retired Pediatrician
Coby Schultz , BSN, RN, Rochester General Hospital
Colleen Reid, MPH, University of California, Berkeley
Cora Foster, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Cornelia E. Farnum, PhD, DVM, Professor Emerita, Cornell University
Daniel Miller, MD, Chief, Clinical Quality and Training Hudson River HealthCare
Daria B Crittenden, MD, NYU School of Medicine
David Feldshuh, MD, PhD, Cornell University
David Gould, MD, MBA
David R. Brown, ScD, SWPA Environmental Health Project
Deborah Payne, MPH, Kentucky Environmental Foundation
Denise DeJohn, MSN, CRNP, SWPA Environmental Health Project
Douglas MacQueen, MD, Cayuga Medical Associates
Ellen Henry, PhD, Univ of Rochester Medical Center
Elmer Ewing, PhD, Prof. Emeritus, Cornell College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Erik D. Hiester, DO, President: Broome County Medical Society, Lourdes Hospital
Esther I Herkowitz, MS, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Health Net
Geoffrey E Moore, MD, FACSM, Director of Clinical Services, Cayuga Center for Healthy Living
Gerri Wiley, RN, Owego RAFT (Residents Against Fracking Tioga)
Helen Podgainy, MD, Children’s Community Pediatrics, Moon and Wexford
J. B. Heiser, PhD, Cornell University
James C. Macmillan, MD, Tompkins County Board of Health
James W. Walker, MD, Bassett Healthcare Network
Jeffrey Carlberg, MD, FamilyCare Medical Group
Jens Wennberg, PA, Ithaca Free Clinic
Joan Cain, FNP-C, IthacaMed
John Cooke, MD, Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca, NY
Jose Torrado, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Joseph A. Mannino, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Josephine C. McAllister, MD, Dermatology Associates of Ithaca
Judy Krisher-Bussone, RN
Julie Huntsman, DVM, Councilmember, Town of Otsego, NY
Karen LaFace, MD, Ithaca, NY
Karen M. Landt, MS, ANP, Clinton Crossings Dermatology
Katharine W. Lloyd, MD, MI Bassett Hospital
Katherine Schaff, MPH, University of California, Berkeley
Kathleen Nolan, MD, MSL, Regional Director for the High Peaks, Catskill Mountainkeeper
Kathryn M. Zunich, MD, Iasis Partners, LLC
Kathy Dervin, MPH, 350 Bay Area
Kelly K. Branigan, RN
Ken Spaeth, MD, MPH, Hofstra University School of Health Sciences & Human Services
Kenneth Hill, MD, Gannett Health ServicesKimberly Carney Young, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Kristin Stevens, NP, ObGyn IthacaMed
Kristine Noonan, RN, Nurses for Safe Water
Larysa Dyrszka, MD, Pediatrician (retired)
Leslie A. Walleigh, MD, MPH, SWPA Environmental Health Project
Linda Rudolph, MD, MPH, Linda Rudolph and Associates
Lisa Stankus, CRNP, Gannett: Cornell University Health Services
Madelon L. Finkel, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College
Marcy Schaeffer, RN, NP, Ithaca City School District
Margaret Buckley, RN, MSN, Nurse Rise, Buffalo, New York
Margaret Rafferty, DNP, RN, MA, MPH
Marguerite Uphoff, MD, MPH, FAAP, Northeast Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Marianne Herr-Paul, DO, Wellspring Cottage, LLC
Marie Harkins, MS, FNP, CNM, Cayuga Medical Center
Mary McCutcheon, RN MS, San Francisco Department of Public Health (Retired)
Mary Menapace, RN, Concerned Health Professionals of NY
Marybeth Carlberg, MD, FamilyCare Medical Group, SUNY Upstate Medical Associate Faculty
Mel Packer, PA-C, Pittsburgh, PA
Melissa Poulsen, MPH, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
Meriamne Singer, MD
Michael O’Brien, MD, University at Buffalo
Michael P. Branigan, CRNA, MS
Michelle Bamberger, MS, DVM, Vet Behavior Consults
Monica Daniel, RN, CNM, LAc
Nancy B. Stewart, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Nanette M. Dowling, DO, Cayuga Medical Center
Nina Pesante, MD
Peter Clark, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Peter J. Davies, PhD, Cornell University
Peter Schwartz, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Philip Goodman, MD, Self-Employed/Private Practice, Binghamton, NY
Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, Philadelphia Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility
Rachel Morello-Frosch, PhD, MPH, University of California, Berkeley
Rajaran Rao, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Rebecca Damiani, FNP-C, Gannett Health Services
Rebekah Bowser, RN, BSN, Phoenixville Area School District, Healthy Achievers, Maxim Healthcare
Richard Weiskopf, MD, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Robert Oswald, PhD, Molecular Medicine, Cornell University
Ronald E. Bishop, PhD, CHO, State University of New York at Oneonta
Samantha K. Davenport, MD, Chief of Pathology, Bassett Healthcare Network
Samuel M. Lesko, MD, MPH, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute
Sandra Steingraber, PhD, Ithaca College
Sarah Buckley, RN, BSN, CCRN, POWR, Protecting Our Water Rights
Sheila Bushkin, MD, MPH, Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY)
Stephanie Westerman , DVM, Medaille College, Buffalo, NY
Susan Cowdery, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
Susan G. Miller, MD, Gannett Health Services
Suzanne Anderson, MD, Trumansburg Family Health Center
Tawn Feeney, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist
Teresa R. Miller, MD, private practice physician
Tim Cardina, MD, Cayuga Medical Center
William Klepack, MD, Dryden Family Medicine
William S. Tyler, MD, Cayuga Medical Center (Past President, Retired)
Zoë Chafe, MPH, MS, University of California, Berkeley