CNX Dishes Out Radical Dishonesty on Fracking Risks
PITTSBURGH, PA (August 14, 2024) – Today, fracking company CNX released a report on the results of its efforts to monitor six air pollutants for a few months at locations near its rural fracking sites. The report, based on self-reported data, makes the sweeping conclusion that “CNX Natural Gas Development Poses No Public Health Risks.”
Of the thousands of chemicals released in fracking, CNX hand-selected six to monitor for in the air. The report did not acknowledge the significant increases in those pollutants its monitors identified downwind of its facilities. The report also did not attempt to address the science demonstrating that there is likely no safe level of cancer-causing pollutants such as benzene, which CNX’s data showed that its sites sent into the atmosphere.
CNX’s “no public health risks” conclusion is contradicted by more than 100 studies identifying the toxic air pollution from fracking and public health studies such as that done last year by the University of Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which showed strong evidence of increased illnesses in patients living near fracking wells. CNX’s report stems from a 2023 partnership with Governor Shapiro’s administration.
“CNX’s radically dishonest and irresponsible fracking report fails the fundamental tests of scientific integrity,” said Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council. “The Shapiro administration should immediately disavow the report and distance itself from this propaganda.”
“There are mountains of evidence showing that from cradle to grave, fracking poses a significant risk to the public’s health,” noted David Masur, Executive Director for PennEnvironment. “Some of the glaring errors and misinformation announced today are just the tip of the toxic iceberg when it comes to harmful discharges into our air and water from fracking.”
“People in the Commonwealth are suffering and this blatant disregard for the real world hurt done for over a decade is unconscionable,” said Gillian Graber, Executive Director of Protect PT. “Governor Shapiro should know that we are not buying the snake oil, the people of Pennsylvania are too smart for that.”
“CNX has a lot of nerve to suggest that their self-collected and self-reported data can disprove a series of studies that looked at the very real, very heartbreaking impacts that children across nine counties experience living near fracking,” said Sarah Martik, Executive Director of Center for Coalfield Justice. “Governor Shapiro needs to wake up to the damage he is perpetuating by continuing in this partnership and by failing to acknowledge Pitt’s state-sponsored, peer-reviewed research.”
“CNX’s August 14th press release appears to be an attempt to dupe investors, operators, and decision makers into adopting the faulty Radical Transparency methodology across the Commonwealth in order to shape Pennsylvania’s energy policy. This is an extremely misguided idea, given ample evidence showing the health risks associated with fracking,” said Shannon Smith, Executive Director of FracTracker Alliance. “Furthermore, their data is opaque. For example, CNX does not disclose all of the chemicals used in its operations, because the disclosures contain trade secrets.”
