PRESS ADVISORY

Contact: Ansje Miller, 510-379-8449 (cell); Ellen Webb, 718-309-5219 (cell)

New Report: Fracking Poses Health Risks to Pregnant Women and Children

Air and Water Pollution from Secret Use of Toxic Chemicals Poses Serious Health Risks to Most Vulnerable Populations (read the report)

WHO:

Hon. Tony Avella, N.Y. State Senator (11^th District)
Ansje Miller, CEH East Coast Director and co-author of the new report
Sheila Bushkin, MD, MPH, Institute for Health and the Environment, Albany University
Kathleen A. Curtis, LPN, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments

WHAT:
Press briefing on a new Center for Environmental Health (CEH) report outlining the health threats associated with chemicals used in fracking.

WHEN:
Thursday, June 13, 2013 10-11 am

WHERE:
Legislative Office Building, Room 130 Albany, NY

Albany, NY – In light of the proposed legislation for a moratorium in New York on new fracking operations, and in anticipation of the end of the New York State legislation session next week, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is releasing a new report outlining the health risks related to fracking and tight oil and shale gas development. The report, Toxic and Dirty Secrets: The Truth about Fracking and Your Family’s Health, shows how chemicals, many of which are undisclosed, related to the oil and gas industry when conducting fracking operations can pollute the air and water in communities around fracking sites and pose health risks especially to pregnant women and children, who are most vulnerable to chemical exposures.

“Many harmful chemicals that we have been working so hard to eliminate from consumer products are now being used in mass quantity by fracking operations. In many instances, residents near fracking sites have already suffered from chemical pollution in their air and water,” said Ansje Miller of CEH, a co-author of the report.  “Current regulations allow companies to hide the fact that they are poisoning us with these chemicals under a claim of ‘trade secret.’ This is unacceptable, and leads to serious health risks, especially to pregnant women and children. Our report shows that there needs to be much more study of these risks before fracking should be allowed in New York.”

CEH has a sixteen-year track record of protecting communities from the health impacts of toxic pollution and has previously uncovered lead and other toxic health threats to children and families from many other products. CEH also works with major industries and leaders in green business to promote healthier alternatives to toxic products and practices. In 2010, the San Francisco Business Times bestowed its annual “Green Champion” award to CEH for its work to improve health and the environment in the Bay Area and beyond.