Pitt's Center for Healthy Environments to Hold Aug. 27 Panel Discussion on Marcellus Shale Drilling

The Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC), part of the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), will hold a free Aug. 27 panel discussion to address the public health impact of Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

The public discussion will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Room G23 of Parran Hall. Panelists are Dan Volz, an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health in GSPH and CHEC director; Charles Christian, CHEC director of operations; and Samantha Malone, CHEC communications specialist.

Serious economic, environmental, and public health concerns have been raised concerning the gas extraction processes at the Marcellus Shale, a sedimentary rock formation that may contain trillions of cubic feet of methane gas as well as other explosive gases and vapors. Panelists will discuss potential human exposure to water and air contaminants and behavioral and community health concerns.

More information is available at www.chec.pitt.edu.