Dear Friends of PSR Philadelphia / Pennsylvania,
We thank you for your long-standing and dedicated support !

October 12, 2018
The Unconventional and Unacceptable
On October 8, the UN released its report on Climate Change. The report outlined the dire state of our planet and the need to dramatically cut emissions by 40% by 2030. Pennsylvania is the third leading state producer of greenhouse gases. Enter our state's fracking industry, and unconventional gas production, a major producer of greenhouse gases. It is simply unacceptable to allow the continued use of gas and hydraulic fracturing, especially when ample amounts of promising and affordable renewable energy alternatives exist. Equally disturbing is a growing body of public health evidence linking fracking to reproductive and respiratory dysfunction, increased cancer risk, occupational health and safety problems and contaminated drinking water. It also contributes to destruction of land, toxic air pollution and smog (ground level ozone). Our planet can not withstand another generation of fossil fuel production.
It is our mission to protect our future. That is why we advocate for health at events such as, We Choose a Better Path, Governor Wolf Rally! and the Defend Our Future rally. We share reliable resources such as the Compendium 5.0 Now, we invite you to a unique educational training on Saturday, October 13th.

Join us for a statewide teach-in on unconventional gas development. October 13th is the Gasdown-Frackdown Global Day of Action. On this day, PSR Philadelphia will host the PA Health Check-Up , the first of a three-part, statewide, live-streamed, speed-learning and advocacy series. Below, you can find more information about this historic day and event, along with current news relating to this issue. Please join us and the global movement to put an end to this destructive industry! And afterwards, j oin us for our environmental folk singers, Tom Neilson and Lynn Waldron at a solar home in Wyncote, PA on October 13 at 8 PM, $20.
Updates on PSR
EPA Hearing on September 26
On September 26, PSR Board members Drs. Ned Ketyer and Walter Tsou went to Pittsburgh to testify in front of NHTSA and EPA representatives against the proposal to freeze the Clean Car Standards from 54.5 MPH to only 33 MPH. By reducing the standards, billions of additional tons of car emissions and gasoline will be consumed worsening global warming. EPA showed that global warming would increase by 7 degrees by 2100. The scientific community explains how this is catastrophic.
PSR EVENTS
#1: PA Health Checkup on Fracking
Event Date: Saturday, Oct 13, 2018, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Locations
In person: Philadelphia at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
In person: Pittsburgh at Chatham University
On-line through a live-streaming service
Please attend this speed-learning and advocacy training event, live streamed between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, hosted by PSR. Its focus will be fracking, its impact on health, and what healthcare providers should do. The event is geared towards healthcare providers, and how the knowledge of fracking will impact their practice. The event is also open to the public. The morning session will be the speed-learning, with presentations covering the very basics of fracking, the legal atmosphere, occupational health, children's health, etc. The afternoon will be advocacy training so attendees can learn how to take action on a political level and within their workplace. If interested, learn more here and register here . Click here for a video highlighting the importance of a stop to fracking!
#2: H ouse Party Folk Concert with Satire & Social Commentary
Event Date: Saturday, Oct 13, 2018, 8:00 PM
Join award-winning Tom Neilson & Lynn Waldron for a spectacular night of entertainment. The power of folk music will remind us of what is really important. Space is limited so email our host Dr. Sidney Kahn at snksaukus@gmail.com and please either RSVP HERE online or email Sidney and donate at the door. Suggested donation is $20 per person.
#3: 14th Soul of Medicine Brunch
Event Date: Sunday, Oct 21, 2018, 11:00-1:00 PM
Location: College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Keynote Speaker: Ken Ginsburg, MD, MS ED
All health care professionals are welcome to join us for an inspiring presentation, brunch and round table discussions. More Information - Click Here.
  1. Register Here - and join us on Sunday Oct 21.
  2. Support our event, over 200 medical students registered and all students attend at no cost. Your donations make it possible Please click to DONATE
#4: Unfractured, Movie with Dr. Sandra Steingraber
Event Date: Monday, Oct 22, 2018
Dr. Sandra Steingraber, environmental activist and scientist extraordinaire is planning to be in Philadelphia to show her new film on her activism around fighting the fossil fuel industry on October 22, 6-9 PM. Thomas Jefferson University, 1001 Locust St, Philadelphia, Hamilton Connelly Auditorium. Go to our website at www.psrphila.org and our facebook page for more up to date information.

Community Events
2018 Shale and Public Health Conference
Event Date: Wednesday, Nov 14, 2018
Location: University of Pittsburgh University Club, 123 University Place, Pittsburgh PA, 15260
The League of Women Voters will be presenting the 6th annual 2018 Shale and Public Health Conference, entitled "The Straight Scoop on Shale Drilling". This event will discuss Natural Gas from Marcellus Shale, its impact on our water and communities and how government is involved through permitting, taxation and regulation. There will be an emphasis on pediatric health from this year's lineup of esteemed speakers. PSR's board member Dr. Ned Ketyer will be featured at 4:00 PM, speaking on Health Impacts and Health Care Provider Response to Shale Gas Development. The conference itself is free, and provides a $14 buffet lunch! Please click here to learn more and register for this event that every year attracts a national and international audience!
Current News
PSR Blogs
(Check out all our blogs here!)
Climate Uncovered- Media Fail to Connect Hurricane Florence to Climate Change: From September 9 through September 16, only 7.5% of pieces in the top 50 newspapers that discussed Hurricane Florence mentioned climate change. Click here to read an analysis about the devastating failure by the media to connect climate change to this destructive hurricane.
Is Their Fate Already Sealed? and Indefensible And Irresponsible Click here and here to read blogs written by the The Pedia Blog discussing the impacts of the EPA/NHTSA proposal to roll back fuel economy and emissions rules on children.
Pittsburgh leaders, citizens attack Trump’s proposed rollback of cleaner vehicle emissions standards: Click here to read an article about the Pittsburgh EPA meeting discussing the rollback on clean air standards.
Administration Cooks the Books to Justify Rollback of the Clean Car Standards: From 2009 through 2016, the U.S. government published 10,000 pages of information proving that the Clean Car standards are feasible and cost effective. The Trump administration released shoddy and biased analysis to support its desired eight-year freeze of the Clean Car Standards at essentially 2018 levels through 2026. Click here to read more. These proposed regulations would slow the transition to electric cars and worsen climate change.

The public can comment on these rulings up to October 23. A public hearing was held in Pittsburgh on Sept. 26 and PSR testified there.
Latest Blog Entry
FERC's revolving door spins off course

In August 2017, interim FERC Chairman Neil Chaterjee announced the appointment of Anthony Pugliese as the Commission's new Chief of Staff. Although it is still unclear to many, within the Commission and government, how Pugliese achieved this appointment due to his lack of experience and decorum, he has interestingly expressed views that directly oppose those of President Trump's Administration.

Both in an interview with a right-wing propaganda program and at a meeting with the American Nuclear Society, Pugliese expressed a clear bias for the coal and nuclear power industries, claiming they are more reliable given cybersecurity threats to electric grid and natural gas pipelines. However, Trump's administration from day one has supported the natural gas industry and maintained a revolving door with fossil fuel companies.

This discourse has us wondering , "in an agency that often enacts negative policies, are the results of directionless chaos more beneficial than methodical destructiveness?" Click here to read more about this issue.
Written by: Coryn Wolk
Publis hed: October 12, 2018