PITTSBURGH —
Some people are absolutely sure gas drilling threatens public health, while others are absolutely sure it doesn’t.
Geisinger Health Systems is looking for more facts on the debate.
“Our concern is getting reliable data so we know what to do for our patients,” said David Carey, director of Geisinger’s Weis Center for Research in Danville, Pa.
Geisinger serves many patients who live in areas that have seen a recent boom in Marcellus Shale gas drilling. The gas-rich formation thousands of feet underground has generated jobs, billions of dollars and concerns about possible environmental and public health impacts from thousands of new wells.
“There’s a real need for reliable information for policymakers,” Carey said, yet some of the debate on the issue has been more emotion-driven than science-driven.
“Lack of data has not led to a lack of opinion,” Carey noted.
But with state and federal budgets under intense pressure, there hasn’t been much money available for serious medical research. Then over the last year, executives at Geisinger realized they had a big head start.
“We have a very long history of caring for patients in this region,” Carey said, noting the company serves 2.6 million patients and operates hospitals, clinics, and an insurance program in 44 north central and north eastern counties. That means they have vast troves of health care data, concerning everything from cancer to car accidents to asthma attacks.
“We can map the clinical data in both space and in time,” Carey said, meaning they can compare health in areas with gas drilling to similar areas where it isn’t happening.
Carey said the company isn’t presuming anything about the issue, though it is aware of both concerns and the economic value of the shale boom.
“Our position is, let’s collect the data and find out,” he said.
It may fall to private companies to do some of the work.
Until a few months ago, Pennsylvania public health officials had expected to get a share of the revenue being generated by the state’s new Marcellus Shale law, which is projected to provide about $180 million to state and local governments in the first year.
But representatives from Republican Gov. Tom Corbett’s office and the state Senate cut the health appropriation to zero during final negotiations, so now the state Department of Health is left with a new workload but no funding to examine whether gas drilling impacts health.
Many federal and state regulators say hydraulic fracturing is safe when done properly, and that thousands of wells have been drilled with few complaints of pollution. But environmental groups and some doctors assert regulations still aren’t tough enough and that the practice can pollute groundwater and air.
The claims and counterclaims have been so extreme that some health experts feel the fear and confusion that’s been generated among the public is a problem by itself. Bernard Goldstein, a professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, said experience has shown that patient trust is a key component in health care.
Goldstein said Pitt is also looking at ways to use health care data to answer questions about gas drilling and possible public health impacts.
Despite all the controversy over the issue, Carey hopes Geisinger can stay above the fray.
“To the extent possible, we’re trying to stay clear of any political land mines,” he said.
“We see this unfolding in phases. I could see a batch of early studies that might focus on some diseases. Asthma is a good example,” he said, since people with that disease would be sensitive to possible changes in air quality due to gas drilling.
Geisinger hopes to issue some preliminary results of its data analysis within the next year, Carey said, while other aspects of the research will unfold over five, 10 or 15 years.
Marcellus Shale
Health care company seeks drilling facts
- Marcellus Shale
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Meeting set on Marcellus drilling
The League of Women Voters of Lawrence County will sponsor a panel discussion on Marcellus drilling on Tuesday. The discussion on drilling and property values will begin at 6:30 p.m. at New Wilmington Methodist Church, 125 S. Mercer St.
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SRU to host shale summit
Slippery Rock University will host a summit Tuesday to educate local businesses about the Marcellus and Utica shale industry. The session, called Shale Summit II, will be a joint venture of the university, the Grove City Area and Butler County chambers of commerce and WISR/WBUT radio.
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Education Options, Part 2: Current shale boom casts new light on county’s economic future
Second of two parts: Welcome to the Industrial Revolution of 2013. The Marcellus Shale phenomenon has arrived with the promise of jobs and prosperity for an area in dire need of just such a miracle.
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Seismic testing to be discussed
Seismic testing for Marcellus Shale will be discussed Tuesday in New Wilmington. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at United Methodist Church, located at the corner of South Mercer Street and Neshannock Avenue.
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Shale Update: Gas from 2012 wells entering pipeline
Wells drilled a year ago in Lawrence County are producing natural gas that is entering a pipeline for consumers. Natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation under Lawrence County is now being pumped from two wells on the Harry Patterson property in the New Beaver Borough area into a major pipeline and is being sold, said Joe Minnitte, case manager for Shell Exploration and Production Co.
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Township requests shale money for bridges
North Beaver Township could be the first municipality to spend county Marcellus shale funds earmarked for bridge repairs. The supervisors have requested $63,000 from Lawrence County’s Act 13 transportation funds, which — by law — are to be used for rehabilitation or replacement of county and municipal bridges.
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Commission approves shale pact for Pulaski game lands
The Pennsylvania Game Commission will allow Hilcorp Energy Co. to extract oil and gas from Pulaski Township state game lands. The eight-member board today unanimously approved a restricted surface use oil and gas cooperative agreement for two separate tracts, including 586 acres of state game land 150.
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Estate planning workshop to address shale issues
A free workshop on estate planning for shale gas leases is planned this month in Lawrence County. Estate Planning for Marcellus Shale Lease Holders, will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Shenango Township Volunteer Fire Hall, 2424 E. Washington St. It is being hosted by state Rep. Jaret Gibbons.
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Extension to review seismic tests, pipelines
A program on seismic testing, pipeline agreements and leasing will be offered three times next week. Penn State Extension and the Beaver-Lawrence Farm Bureau will present the program Tuesday in New Castle. It will be presented two more times on Thursday in Beaver County.
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Shell donation boosts Jameson project
Shell Appalachia’s search for natural gas will help fuel completion of Jameson Heath System’s emergency/surgical wing. Jameson is scheduled to take possession of its $20.3 million expansion Feb. 14.
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Meeting set on Marcellus drilling
