The horrific effects of fracking continue to grow with doctors in Pennsylvania now caught up in the web of deceit.
Hydraulic fracturing technology, known as fracking, explodes millions of gallons of toxic chemical solutions deep into the ground in order to free natural gas deposits for drilling companies to exploit for massive profit.
Over 5,000 drilling wells have been blasted across the state of Pennsylvania alone, with more added each and every week.
These toxic chemicals being pumped into the ground are making people in relative proximity to the wells sick – very, very sick – even at low levels of exposure.  Over 85% of the 750 chemicals used in fracking are known carcinogens!
While Pennsylvania law requires drilling companies to inform local doctors what chemicals are being used so that they can properly treat the victims of exposure, it also now requires doctors who are briefed to sign a confidentiality agreement to keep them from telling anyone about what exactly is making these people sick.  This includes informing their own patients as well as other healthcare professionals!
Similar fracking laws are already on the books in Ohio, Texas, and Colorado.
Shockingly, it appears that State authorities have completely rolled over on this issue and have prioritized the “proprietary secrets” of the drilling companies ahead of the needs of public health.
Despite its so called dedication to green technologies and businesses, Federal authorities have also shown no desire to reign in this horrifically damaging technology which is akin to strip mining of decades past.
Why can’t the Obama administration simply require the disclosure of exactly what is being pumped into the ground to dislodge natural gas deposits? Â No doubt if such a move were made, the public outrage and outcry would result in the swift cessation of fracking across the nation.
And those hefty campaign contributions from fracking executives and their operatives would come to a screeching halt.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: Â Pennyslvania Law Gags Doctors
I dont think its just a matter of getting someone to disclose the chemicals used. We should be trying to stop fracking altogether if it is that dangerous. How many people are going to have to get really sick before we can do anything about this?
@Louise I agree .. if Romney is elected he won’t do it either. These oil and drilling companies give to both parties to buy their allegiance. Bush surely would have done nothing too.
You ask why can’t the Obama administration require disclosure of the chemicals being pumped into the ground. I am not sure there is a past President, of recent history, or candidate for President that would do as you ask. I am convinced that there are far too many politicians that are simply not in office for the good of the people. They are entirely in politics to further themselves.
fundamentally the only thing that will save our country from this greed is campaign finance reform. The way the current system is set up, we basically ask any politician NO MATTER what party to bow to special interests because they need the money to get elected again. Simple. If we change this one simple thing, we can empower politicians to do the right thing again–or at least tip the scale back to that direction.
Let me just say too, that before we start attacking something that is creating energy independence, creating thousands of jobs, and giving landowners revenue I would seriously consider doing all of my homework. I’m not going to reiterate what others have said above, but there is a lot of rhetoric coming from sources who would rather pay good money to bring energy from other nations than even help the natural gas companies. Unfortunately, many of the suits are bogus and causing hysteria. Let’s take a thorough look(i.e. the health of natural gas workers and the animals that are exposed to the same situation) before we throw more gasoline onto this ridiculous fire. I’m really disappointed in this article…I always recommend your blog to others, but this was a sad use for the platform you’ve built.
Do you really think that those using fracking methods care about energy independance for this country. doubtful, more likely they are interested in lining there own pockets or they would employ Teslas methods of creating energy for the people.
Do you really think the leadership of the oil companies is so one-dimensional that they care only about exploiting the land and filling their pockets, at any cost? It’s easy to demonize someone in their absence (legislators, oil company executives, lawyers in general). As to Tesla’s much-hyped free energy device, wouldn’t a greedy energy executive start to salivate uncontrollably if he could generate free electricity in large quantities, like the hype promises?
to your first question YES!!! April 2010 ring a bell? And to your second, I live in SUNNY FL where we have sunshine almost everyday and solar power is way in the minority but in a place like upstate NY where my sister lives, she makes enough solar energy to sell back everymonth to electric company. So yes there are alternatives that are not being utilized, why???? Lets count the reasons…..
Apparently you didn’t read my comment Melissa, I wasn’t speaking of those who were fracking being concerned with energy independence, I was speaking of those who are busy bashing something they know LITTLE about. We should all be concerned with energy independence…not just those who are able to profit from it. Do you hear how ridiculous you sound? I suggest you come and say that in the middle of my town where a HUGE percentage of families survive by being employed by these companies. And for the record, if a company wants to frack on YOUR property, you have the authority to say no. No one is forcing you to have a pad on your land.
I dont think it is responsible or creating energy independence regardless of who is making money from it. The impact on the environment cant be good, unless you have studies that show me otherwise I will continue looking at safer options.
Oops, not very good grammar there, but I meant to say we need to stop companies that are doing the fracking, as well as companies like Monsanto.
I shared this article! This is ridicullous!! So wrong on so many levels. I dont know if anything can be done about it, but we need to start stopping this companies and others like Monsanto!
It will only change when citizens get involved and use their voting power. Vote out the representatives who put corporate interest ahead of the citizens. Corporations may be able to throw lots of money at politicians to promote their interest but they can not vote. Voting should be used to hold all levels (sate and fed) of representative accountable. Until that happens we can only expect more of the same.
And THESE are the kind of “professionals” that society chooses to put their trust (often BLIND TRUST) in?? *smh*
What has shocked me most about this post is the folks who are supporting fracking in the comments section.
Sarah – must be that they’re still using toothpaste with flouride in it……
Why should that shock you? Plenty of those supporters have expressed very clearly why they choose not to accept blindly the overheated rhetoric of the anti-fracking crowd. There are plenty of people, of course, who have accepted blindly the overheated rhetoric of the *pro*-fracking crowd, but they haven’t made much of an appearance here.
I’ll be fair to corporations when I’ll go into a supermarket and find something fit to eat.
we’re not surprised and yet we give up and give in allowing these things to happen.. how do we change that????