3 IMPORTANT ISSUES

FRACKING

Definition
a well-stimulation technique in which shale is fractured by a hydraulically pressurized liquid made of water, sand, and chemicals.

ORIGIN

In June 2014 Public Health England published a review of the potential public health impacts of exposures to chemical and radioactive pollutants as a result of shale gas extraction in the UK, based on the examination of literature and data from countries where hydraulic fracturing already occurs.

Contamination of groundwater from the underground hydraulic fracturing process itself (ie the fracturing of the shale) is unlikely. However, surface spills of hydraulic fracturing fluids or wastewater may affect groundwater, and emissions to air also have the potential to impact on health.

INVASIVE SPECIES

INVASIVE SPECIES OF PA

• Asian Longhorned Beetle
• Emerald Ash Borer
• Gypsy Moth
• Forest tent caterpillar

Invasive species are those plants, animals and pathogens that are not native to an area and can cause harm to the environment, to the economy and to human health. While not all non-native species are invasive, some can really do damage to our public and private lands.

Invasive species are highly adaptable to different habitats, grow quickly or reproduce abundantly, are difficult to eradicate and can negatively impact our native species.

URBAN SPRAWL

Urban sprawl- the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.

In a decade, urban sprawl has gobbled up 1 million acres of farmland, as Pennsylvanians spread out over larger and larger areas, abandoning rather than renovating cities and building new schools, roads, sewers and water lines to match those already in existence in more-densely-populated areas.

In the years from 1970 to 1990, by one estimate, the geographic area of Greater Philadelphia grew 32 percent, but the population dropped 3 percent.

Developing farmland raises its temperature, which alters the climate and helps to destroy the natural habitat of plants and animals in elsewhere. Urban sprawl increases air and water pollution and the danger of flash flooding.