Feb 27, 2025: Annual shale and public health conference in Pittsburgh, Streamed & in-person. Bob Donnan and Ron Gulla among the many presenting

Register now!

Announcement by Bob Donnan, Feb 26, 2025:

Since the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters began holding these Shale Gas & Public Health Conferences 15 years ago, I’ve never missed one. It’s always been an excellent way to learn about the health effects of living close oil and gas production, from experts all over the United States. 

Tomorrow the event will be held at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, and for the first time, yours truly will be presenting photographs from mine and Steve’s 54 flights over shale gas development in the tri-state area, covering 15 years. 

I’ll be the warm-up act for Ron Gulla, who will share details of having the 2nd Marcellus Shale well drilled on his family’s farm.

You can register to attend in person (spoiler alert: Free lunch) or stream the event. 

Tomorrow: Shale Gas and Public Health Conference: “New Directions”

Agenda

8:30 AM Registration

9:00 Welcome
Ellen Gawalt, PhD, Dean School of Science and Engineering
Amy Widestrom, PhD, League of Women Voters PA
Tonyehn Verkitus, Physicians for Social Responsibility PA
John Stolz, PhD

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9:15 – 10:45 Research & Health Studies
James Fabisiak, PhD. [Moderator]

9:15: Early Epidemiological Results into Oil and Gas Development from a Prospective Preconception Cohort Study
Mary Willis, PhD, MPH

9:45 Fighting back against the “blue” hydrogen buildout in Cancer Alley, Louisiana
Cyndhia Ramatchandirane, MS

10:15: Chemical Characterization of Natural Gas Leaking from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Western Pennsylvania
Eric Lebel, PhD

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10:45  – 11:15 Health Panel
James Fabisiak, PhD. [Moderator]
Alison Steele, MBA
Pouné Saberi, MD
Mary Willis, PhD, MPH
Cyndhia Ramatchandirane, MS
Eric Lebel, PhD

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11:15 Break

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11:30 – 12:30 Radiation and Waste
John Stolz, PhD [Moderator]

11:30 Petroleum 238
Justin Nobel

12:00 Geochemistry of produced waters sourced from the Marcellus Shale: Lithium resource potential, infrastructure impacts, and NORM risk realities
Justin Mackey, PhD

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12:30  – 1:30 PM Lunch & Keynote
Bob Donnan – 15 Years of Shale Gas Development Through my Camera Lens
Ron Gulla – Firsthand experiences from having the 2nd Marcellus Shale well drilled on his family’s farm in Hickory, PA in 2005

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1:30 – 3:00 PM Water Resources and Contamination
Daniel Bain, PhD [Moderator]

1:30 An Analysis of Water Quality in the Oldest Hydrocarbon Basin in the USA
Jennifer Baka, PhD

2:00 Contamination of Private Water Supplies After a Well Communication Event
John Stolz, PhD

2:30 (remote) Key Considerations to Address Corrosion Risk with Carbon Capture Transportation & Sequestration
Steven Jansto, PhD

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3:00 – 4:15 Panel: Community Wins and Alternative Solutions
Tonyehn Verkitus [Moderator]
Matthew Mehalik, PhD
Lois Bower-Bjornson Gillian Graber
Patty DeMarco, PhD
Rachel Pecharka

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4:15 Wrap Up

4:30 Post Conference Reception

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Register Now

Speaker Bios

View recap and videos from the 2023 conference

Fracking next door

More here:

Feb 27, 2025, 9:00am – 4:30pm, Pittsburgh, PA: Shale Gas and Public Health Conference. Free event in person or online, register required

Refer also to:

Frac Compendium 9: From 65 studies to “an avalanche” of nearly 2,500 showing evidence of harm from frac’ing. Dr. Sandra Steingraber: “Fracking resembles lead paint or indoor smoking — no rules or regulations can make these practices safe.”

Quebec’s Leaking Shale Gas Shit Show: Talisman (now Repsol), Gastem, Questerre et al: Leaks leaks and more leaks. Talisman in 2011: “Leaks are a common occurrence…they are a normal part of the process.” Marc Brullemans (2024): “I don’t see why the leaks would stop on their own.”

USA: Surveys of methane pollution from oil and gas systems continues to be far higher than gov’t estimates, wasting about $1Billion worth of gas annually and causing $9.3Billion in yearly climate damage. Dr. Robert Howarth: “It’s worse than most of us have been saying. … Shale gas and LNG are really bad for climate.”

Just Released! Videos for 2023 Shale & Public Health Conference (11th Annual) with hair-raising presentation by Justin Nobel, and analysis by David Hess. The oil, gas and frac industry is toxic, no matter how we look at it.

Tenth Annual Shale & Public Health Conference featuring Dr. Anthony Ingraffea and more.

Resource Guide and videos for all sessions now available: 9th Annual Shale & Public Health (Dec 10, 2021) Conference by Halt the Harm Network and Physicians for Social Responsibility: “Cradle to Grave: The Reverberating Health Hazards of Oil and Gas Industry.” Focus on workers’ exposure to PFAS chemicals, radioactivity, and effects on their families, communities and beyond.

Justin Mikulka: “I think the story of US shale has mostly been written already. Best assets gone. Half trillion lost. Environmental and climate disaster. Executive looting. Pathetic media coverage. The damage has been done.”