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For Immediate Release
February, 28 2021, 11:00pm EDT
Contact:
Seth Gladstone – sgladstone@fwwatch.org, 917.363.6615
WASHINGTON
Today the Environmental Health Network released a groundbreaking study, years in the making, that finds alarming ties between fracking operations and dangerous exposure to toxic chemicals in residents of nearby communities in Pennsylvania. In response, Sandra Steingraber, PhD, of Concerned Health Professionals of New York, issued the following statement:
"Concerned Health Professionals of New York congratulates Environmental Health News and lead reporter Kristina Marusic for the release today of a groundbreaking investigation of toxic exposures from drilling and fracking operations. This two-year, four-part investigation reveals the presence of industrial solvents and other harmful chemicals known to be linked to fracking inside the bodies of children and other family members living southwestern Pennsylvania.
"This investigation represents the first comprehensive body burden analysis of residents living in areas targeted by fracking. As such, it fills in an important data gap and strongly suggests that the toxic emissions from fracking operations are entering the bodies of nearby residents at levels known to cause harm. Like the body burden results that documented lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan from contaminated drinking water, today's findings show that fracking is poisoning children. We now know from today's findings that the toxic emissions from fracking operations, which we have documented in our own Compendium of Findings, become actual human exposures.
"And the results are truly shocking. Levels of toxic industrial solvents linked to drilling operations--including the metabolic breakdown products of ethylbenzene, styrene, and toluene--were detected in the urine of children living nearby at levels up to 91 times higher than those found in the average American.
"Further, cancer-causing chemicals in drinking water and indoor air were found at concentrations that exceed threshold levels for safety. This study also corroborates and extends previous research that finds connections between fracking and mental health problems.
"Consider together with the results of previous studies, the findings of this multi-part investigation serve as a powerful moral indictment of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health, which has long privileged gas industry interests over protecting the health of Pennsylvania residents. Pennsylvania's children should not be used as laboratory rats in an uncontrolled human experiment involved toxic exposures.
"In light of today's revelatory investigation, Concerned Health Professionals of New York reiterates our call: The risks and harms of fracking to public health are inherent to its operation. The only method of mitigating fracking's grave threats to public health is a rapid, comprehensive phase-out of fracking."
Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people's health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.
(202) 683-2500LATEST NEWS
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Conservative commentator Dave Rubin, who for months has been a top booster of President Donald Trump's illegal war with Iran, was inundated with mockery on Sunday after a viral video exposed months' worth of his failed predictions about the conflict.
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"I'm pretty good with predictions," Rubin says. "And my prediction here is that everything the media is now going to say about Iran—it's going to close the Strait of Hormuz, and energy prices are going to go crazy—none of this is going to come to pass."
Iran war: greatest hits from the last 12 weeks pic.twitter.com/9pgXyvmsgF
— Dave Rubin Clips II (Parody) - Retired Jan.20/2025 (@DaveClips) May 24, 2026
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"He’s the Jim Cramer of Iran war predictions," joked Krystal Ball.
Commentator Adam Mockler wrote of Rubin that "it’s brutal watching him make failed predictions week after week."
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