Sep 26: Marcellus Shale forum

Upstream & Downstream: More on the Marcellus Shale: a forum featuring Peggy Utesch of New Castle, Colorado. Peggy's work on the gas drilling issue in Western Colorado has brought citizens, municipalities and gas companies together to look at the long-term impacts that will result from an intense level of projected development - more than 20,000 wells -- and seek solutions that benefit both industry and residents. The result was a Community Development Plan that aims to protect landowners while reducing conflict with the gas industry.


Peggy will speak about her experience with fracking in her home state. What happens upstream, and impacts downstream – flooding, salinization, erosion, pollution. Private roads that used to carry 10 cars a day, now carry 100 semis 24/7. Roads and traffic volume increase 10 fold. Blowouts release several tons of toxic materials to atmosphere. Groundwater becomes contaminated. Wells get contaminated. The ozone release is higher than LA in some rural areas of Wyoming and can cause permanent lung damage.


9:30 a.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Ave, Pittsburgh, 15213 (in the Schweitzer Room). For more information, call 412-621-8008. All are welcome!

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