Apr 22, 2014 1 min read

I am responding to the April 17 article, “DEP, Range Resources confirm leak at Amwell impoundment,” that showed the risks posed by fracking.

As this story clearly showed, the state’s residents desperately need the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to halt the use of dangerous fracking waste pits in the commonwealth.

Fracking wastewater is dangerous to our health, communities and our environment. It contains toxic carcinogens like benzene, poisonous heavy metals like arsenic and lead and is often contaminated with radioactive materials. The last thing we need is to put massive holding ponds with this toxic pollution near people’s homes and in our communities.

As this story shows, fracking wastewater pits can and often do fail. They overflow and send toxic pollution into nearby waterways or into drinking water supplies; they release harmful chemicals into the air; and in some cases, they’ve even exploded or caught fire due to high levels of volatile chemicals found in the wastewater.

Recently, more than 15,000 individuals called on the DEP to ban these hazards. This is just one example of why the DEP should take action – as soon as possible.

Kristen Cevoli

Pittsburgh

Cevoli is the fracking program director for Penn Environment.