Natural Gas Health Impact Conference to Convene at Pitt

Experts on the natural gas industry and its impact on the environment and the public's health are coming to Pittsburgh tomorrow. They plan to discuss the direction of the industry, issues that need to be addressed and how research can positively impact policy and regulatory decision making. Dr. Conrad Volz, director of the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities at the University of Pittsburgh says they'll talk about potential, projected and actual impacts of the natural gas industry. He says many of those effects are already being felt through degraded air quality and the impacts on drinking water. The conference will present the scientific challenges and issues that are being explored by government and academic investigators, as well new methodologies being employed to assess the health impacts and reduce the hazards produced by gas extraction, refining, and delivery operations. Volz says they also plan to create a document identifying gaps in research and unknown impacts of the industry and how to fill in those holes. The conference takes place tomorrow at Pitt and registration is closed.