New York’s environmental study of the possible risks of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, a technique for natural gas drilling, addresses everything from the possible impact on job creation and the character of communities to damage to roads and wildlife. But a group of doctors, medical associations and environmental groups say there is one glaring omission: the possible effects on public health.
In a letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the group asked Wednesday for a comprehensive assessment of the potential health risks for people who could be exposed to the toxic chemicals used in gas exploration and production.
There are documented cases of worsening health among residents living close to gas wells and waste pits in other states, including breathing difficulties and new cases of asthma, the group said.
“The environmental impacts of gas development include air and water pollution and soil contamination, which are clearly established pathways for health impacts,” said the letter, signed by more than 250 doctors and anti-drilling groups like Catskill Mountainkeeper.