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Top Republican Floats Proposal To Create Marcellus Shale Health Panel

Scott LaMar / WITF

Pennsylvania's Capitol


Early versions of the law that became Act 13 earmarked money for research into natural gas drillingā€™s medical impact, but the final version didnā€™t set any money aside for health-related studies.
At the time, Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnatiā€™s top staffer, Drew Crompton, supported the move. He warned Ā a study could be ā€œdangerousā€ if it wasnā€™t handled properly. ā€œImagĀ­ine livĀ­ing near a well, and everythingā€™s fine, and you get a letĀ­ter in the mail askĀ­ing to take part in medĀ­ical tests,ā€ he told StateImpact Pennsylvania in February. ā€œAnd then those peoĀ­ple are like: ā€˜Why do I have to get tests? What could be wrong withĀ me?ā€™ā€
Now, however, Scarnati is asking other legislators to co-sponsor a bill creating a panel ā€œtasked with thoroughly investigating and studying advancements in science, technology and public health data in order to provideā€¦information, analysis and recommendationsā€ for natural gas drilling.
What changed? Not much, said Crompton. ā€œThe format of this advisory board is different. Itā€™s not simply the Department of Health doing what they want to do unbridled. And that really was the essence of [Scarnatiā€™s concerns],ā€ he said. ā€œGive us a couple million dollars and weā€™ll go do some research.ā€ The new panel, he said, would include ā€œlegislative and executive input. It would not just be health employees, but individuals coming from all affected communities.ā€

The proposal hasnā€™t been turned into a bill yet, and even if it were, it likely wouldnā€™t be passed before the 2011-2012 legislative session ends. The Senate only has six remaining voting days scheduled, after all, and bills canā€™t carry from one session to another.
Instead, ā€œthis was to start the debate,ā€ Crompton said. ā€œThe real reason we put it out was to garner discussion from both sides of [the issue]. Health advocates obviously, as well as Democrats.ā€
The goal would be passage next spring. Read the full memo below:

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