A study of fracking’s links to health issues will be released by Pennsylvania researchers

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Researchers in heavily drilled Pennsylvania are preparing to release findings from taxpayer-financed studies on possible links between the natural gas industry and pediatric cancer, asthma and poor birth outcomes. The four-year, $2.5 million project is wrapping up on Tuesday. It comes after other studies are finding higher rates of cancer, asthma and other afflictions among people who live near drilling fields. Pennsylvania’s former governor agreed to commission the study in 2019, under pressure from the families of pediatric cancer patients. There will be a public meeting Tuesday to discuss the findings, hosted by University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and the state Department of Health.