FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August  5, 2021

Contact: Karen Feridun, Better Path Coalition, 610-678-7726, betterpathpa@gmail.com

 

PFAS Use in PA Fracking Is Confirmed. Wolf Must Halt Fracking Now.

A  Statement from the Better Path Coalition

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In the wake of the news that PFAS chemicals have been used in fracking operations in Pennsylvania, the Better Path Coalition is calling on Governor Tom Wolf to immediately halt fracking operations and put a moratorium on any further permitting of wells. 

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The Coalition was among the co-authors of a letter calling for a similar response from Wolf when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the spike in rare childhood cancers in four southwestern Pennsylvania counties in 2019. He dismissed our request at the time, preferring to keep reviewing the academic literature while families wondered how to keep their children from being the next to be diagnosed.

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Washington County was one of those counties in 2019 and is one of the counties identified today by the Philadelphia Inquirer to have been the location of four of the wells where PFAS chemicals were used.

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The state’s reaction to today’s revelation was enraging, but not surprising. According to the editors, “Asked whether the state would audit the list for ‘forever chemicals’ — not disclosing the name of the substance or other details — a spokesperson wrote that such review is ‘possible’ but time-consuming as ‘staff will need to review approximately 90 individual paper submissions’ to identify the chemicals.”

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The health of Pennsylvanians is worth the bother.

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The Wolf administration’s chronic lack of responsiveness wasn’t acceptable in 2019 and is even less so now. Governor Wolf must halt fracking and do it now.

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