Non-disclosure agreements have been required in other lawsuitsagainst the gas industry, as this chart of related cases inArkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and WestVirginia shows. The intervenors argue that these agreements deprive the public ofinformation in the record that could help to protect other familiesin similar situations. "People living in communities where the gas industry operates haveimportant firsthand knowledge of the impacts of gas development.But time and again, these people are silenced by industry-mandatednon-disclosure agreements in lawsuits as well as leases," said Dr.Simona Perry, research scientist with Rensselaer PolytechnicInstitute. "As their neighbors struggle to contend with these impacts, theyare unable to share their knowledge. 3W Led Grow Light
Whole communities are impactedas a result," said Perry, another member of the intervenor group. The nondisclosure agreements are part of what Earthjustice calls "awide-ranging pattern of industry secrecy." The industry has lobbied for, and won, exemptions from portions ofthe Safe Drinking Water Act, the Emergency Planning and CommunityRight to Know Act, and other federal laws with right-to-knowrequirements. In Wyoming, the gas industry has fought a state law requiring thatit disclose the identities of chemicals used in fracking,submitting claims to keep secret the identies of more than ahundred chemicals. In Pennsylvania, industry lobbied for Act 13, which was signed intolaw by Governor Tom Corbett in February. China Led Growing Lights
The new law limits theinformation doctors can share about health problems linked to gasdevelopment activities and also limits local government control ofthe gas industry. "From Wyoming to Pennsylvania and Colorado to Louisiana, the gasindustry is fighting to keep the toxic secrets of drilling out ofthe public eye and to retain special exemptions to the laws thatprotect public health and the environment," said Bruce Baizel,staff attorney with Earthworks, one of the intervenors. "They claimthat what they do is safe, but if it is, why do they have so muchto hide? We intend to find out." The current fracking-enabled gas drilling boom across the UnitedStates has brought reports of poisoned drinking water, pollutedair, mysterious animal deaths, and sick families. But industrysecrecy has made it tough for researchers to get the facts onhealth and environmental impacts of fracking. China Dimmable Led Lights
"Scientists studying the health and environmental impacts offracking and gas development need data in order to do their job,"said Stan Scobie, PhD, senior fellow with Physicians, Scientists,and Engineers for Healthy Energy, one of the intervening groups."The gas industry may prefer that we not have the information weneed, but the public good clearly outweighs industry's preferencefor secrecy." The gas companies that won the court order sealing the records are:Range Resources Corp., Williams Gas/Laurel Mountain Midstream,Markwest Energy Partners and the Markwest Energy Group. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2012. All rights reserved.
Whole communities are impactedas a result," said Perry, another member of the intervenor group. The nondisclosure agreements are part of what Earthjustice calls "awide-ranging pattern of industry secrecy." The industry has lobbied for, and won, exemptions from portions ofthe Safe Drinking Water Act, the Emergency Planning and CommunityRight to Know Act, and other federal laws with right-to-knowrequirements. In Wyoming, the gas industry has fought a state law requiring thatit disclose the identities of chemicals used in fracking,submitting claims to keep secret the identies of more than ahundred chemicals. In Pennsylvania, industry lobbied for Act 13, which was signed intolaw by Governor Tom Corbett in February. China Led Growing Lights
The new law limits theinformation doctors can share about health problems linked to gasdevelopment activities and also limits local government control ofthe gas industry. "From Wyoming to Pennsylvania and Colorado to Louisiana, the gasindustry is fighting to keep the toxic secrets of drilling out ofthe public eye and to retain special exemptions to the laws thatprotect public health and the environment," said Bruce Baizel,staff attorney with Earthworks, one of the intervenors. "They claimthat what they do is safe, but if it is, why do they have so muchto hide? We intend to find out." The current fracking-enabled gas drilling boom across the UnitedStates has brought reports of poisoned drinking water, pollutedair, mysterious animal deaths, and sick families. But industrysecrecy has made it tough for researchers to get the facts onhealth and environmental impacts of fracking. China Dimmable Led Lights
"Scientists studying the health and environmental impacts offracking and gas development need data in order to do their job,"said Stan Scobie, PhD, senior fellow with Physicians, Scientists,and Engineers for Healthy Energy, one of the intervening groups."The gas industry may prefer that we not have the information weneed, but the public good clearly outweighs industry's preferencefor secrecy." The gas companies that won the court order sealing the records are:Range Resources Corp., Williams Gas/Laurel Mountain Midstream,Markwest Energy Partners and the Markwest Energy Group. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2012. All rights reserved.