I've blogged before about very alarming health symptoms in families who live near oil and gas operations. Here are two more recent reports:
- Pennsylvania: Phyllis Carr reports that her family has suffered headaches, sore throats, nose sores and nose bleeds since natural gas operations began near her home. She has detected noxious fumes, "like paint thinner." She reports that her family had to evacuate its home six or seven times last year when alarms went off, but no one has ever met with them to explain what the alarms mean.
- Colorado: Beth Strudley reports that first her sons, and then she and her husband, have suffered from severe rashes, nose bleeds and blackouts. Their physician has directed the family to move as soon as possible.
These symptoms--nosebleeds, rashes, headaches, passing out--have been reported by other families who live near oil and gas operations. We are pleased that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing its rules for dangerous air pollutants emitted by oil and gas operations. In addition, to protect human health, it is essential that Congress close loopholes in the Clean Air Act that allow the oil and gas industry to emit dangerous levels of hazardous pollutants known to harm human health--pollutants that would be subject to national standards in any other industry.