We received this report today from Nancy Alderman of Environment and Human Health, Inc. You can contact Nancy at nancy.alderman@ehhi.org.

Summary of the "Fracking" Meeting held by Environment and Human Health, Inc. on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at the Yale School of Forestry for all those people in CT who were, and are, interested in the fracking issue for Connecticut.

Map of shale gas deposits from the Gasland Project.

ATTENDANCE

        There were about 45 people at the meeting including 4 Legislators - Senator Len Fasano and Senator Carlo Leone's Aide, Andrew Ammirati,   and  Representatives Jonathan Steinberg and Matt Lesser .

        Many groups were represented. To name a few: CT Sierra Club, Watershed Partnership, Rivers Alliance, Citizen's Campaign for the Environment, Grassroots Environmental Education,  Middletown Conservation Commission, Middletown Garden Club, Environmental Concerns Coalition of Milford,  Environment and Human Health, Inc., New Haven Environmental Justice, Thimble Creek Research, Yale Forestry School,  Democracy for America, Old Lyme Conservation Commission, and three people hired by the Heinz Foundation in Pennsylvania working on the health issues caused by fracking in Pennsylvania.

        As well,  there was a representative from the CT Petroleum Council - Steven Guveyan

TOPICS RAISED FOR DISCUSSION 

Fracking raises many areas of concern and there were many issues raised for discussion

       

        1. How much shale is actually in CT and do we need to be concerned?  The meeting felt the answer was yes and the unassessed shale is under Hartford and goes through the middle of the state - pretty much following the I-91 Corridor.

        2.  Fracking's damage to drinking water and underground aquifers was discussed. What chemicals are put into the deep ground in order to frack and what additional chemicals come up from the underground rock such as radon, arsenic and other toxic compounds from the "Deep."

        3. CT will need to protect itself from accepting other states' toxic fracking waste. New Jersey is already getting PA's waste without the New Jersey Legislature having acted upon it.

        4. What happens when the toxic waste from fracking is injected into the ground?  Some states have had small earth quakes where this has been allowed.

        5. Huge amount of truck traffic is generated by fracking.

        6.  The Gas Industry usually goes after farmlands as a place to frack offering farmers large amount of money.  CT has spent large sums of money trying to protect CT Farms.

        7.  David Brown, Sc.D. Public Health Toxicologist, reported what he has seen happen in PA.  He has been hired by the Heinz Foundation of PA to look at those harmed in that state  from fracking.  He has seen respiratory problems, intestinal issues and skin rashes.  Generally many people near the fracking sites are unwell as are their farm animals.

        8. Each well site needs thousands of gallons of water and that will need to come from somewhere.

        9. Vermont banned Fracking this year as well as banning any fracking waste from being disposed of in their state.  In VT's words - the ban "ensures that the state's underground sources of drinking water remain free of contamination......."

        10. Vermont like Connecticut has no fracking taking place -- or yet proposed to take place - but that state saw the potential damage fracking could have on their state and they chose to get ahead of the problem.  Should CT do the same?

    DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH FRACKING ISSUES SHOULD ADDRESSED AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

1.   There should be legislation that bans accepting other states' toxic fracking wastes from coming into CT. The fracking toxic waste should not be allowed to enter our waterways or be injected into deep underground wells.

2. There should be a bi-partisan educational meeting held at the Capitol either the 2nd or 3rd week in September for all legislators.  Sen. Len Fasano, Rep. Matt Lesser and Rep. Jonathan Steinberg have kindly offered to host the meeting. Sen Fasano offered to get another Republican Representative so to have 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats.

3. CT DOH Health and CT DEEP should be invited. As well the CT petroleum Council will be invited - so to make this a balanced meeting.  As well it was suggested to have the Attorney General's Office represented. Because fracking often affects farmlands - it was suggested that the  Working Land Alliance be there as well.

                If I left anything important out --  I  apologize.  There was much that went on.

                Thanks to all of you who were able to come - it is greatly appreciated,

                                Nancy Alderman, President

                                Environment and Human Health, Inc.

-- 

Nancy Alderman, President
Environment and Human Health, Inc.
1191 Ridge Road
North Haven, CT   06473
(phone) 203-248-6582
(Fax)     203-288-7571
http://www.ehhi.org
http://ehhijournal.org

By Ed Stannard, Community Engagement Editor
estannard@nhregister.com / Twitter: @edstannardnhr, @nhrvoices

It’s time to pay a visit to our Community Media Lab. You might be surprised at who you’ll find.

Do have a loved one with autism? Do you care about increasing literacy among our youth? Are you interested in sustainable farming? Our newest bloggers are passionate about those topics.

Shirley Blaier-Stein has a son with autism. She left her career as a lawyer to care for him, wrote a book called “Autism Mother,” and writes a blog called Autism Parents Community. We’re thrilled to add her blog to our media lab, offering those who love people with autism support and information.

It’s well known that literacy is vital to success in school and the job market. The Literacy Coalition of Greater New Haven is a group of volunteers aiming to increase the ability of both children and adults to read. If you’ve considered volunteering to be a tutor, the Literacy Coalition is the place to call. And to stay abreast of what the organization is doing, bookmark Literacy, Every Day.

Melissa Waldron runs the blog Fertile Ground USA, whose motto is “Farming is a Transformative Act.” The site is chock full of information about the sustainable-agriculture movement, including urban farming.

Some of our other bloggers are promoting a cause. Actually, one, Christopher Zurcher promotes several causes in three different blogs he maintains: PeaceNews, the Progress Action Roundtable and Connecticut Environmental Headlines.

And Zurcher is not the only environmental blogger. Others on our site include Green Cities, Blue Waters from the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Yale Environment 360 by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, as well as nature-oriented blogs such as Matthew Houskeeper’s Soundbounder and Nick Bonomo’s Shorebirder.

In politics, our bloggers read from left to right: Aldon Hynes’ Orient Lodge and Andrew Rose’s Political Insomniac, to name two.

Our bloggers’ coverage enhances the news and features the Register’s reporters bring you every day, and we’re always interested in adding local bloggers — or helping you start a blog — who have a passion to share.

Sports. The Arts. Even a blog about Charles Dickens movies. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find at www.nhregister.com/blogs.

Let me or Angi Carter know if you’re interested in joining the Community Media Lab by emailing voices@nhregister.com. You can call me at 203-789-5743 and Angi at 203-789-5752. And check out OUR blog, Your Open Newsroom, and let us know what you think!

We’re pleased to welcome two people who are well-known in their fields in Connecticut to the Register’s Community Media Lab.

Dr. Andrea Silber is an oncologist who specializes in treatment of breast cancer specialist and is co-director of the Hospital of Saint Raphael Women's Center for Breast Health. In Get Healthy CT, she will answer general questions, even those that you might consider silly or embarrassing.

Christopher Zurcher, a former journalist and environmental communications director, edits CT Environmental Headlines, where he gathers environmental news stories and links about local and regional events.

One of our tasks as community engagement editors is to seek out those of you who have a passion for a topic, an issue or a hobby and help you start a blog to share your thoughts and ideas with the world. We’re also looking for existing blogs to link to. If you would like to join our Community Media Lab, let us know. Email Angi or Ed or call us (Ed’s at 203-789-5743; Angi is at 203-789-5752).