Does Fracking Put Infants at Risk?

The emergence and development of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as “fracking,” has had a substantial impact on global energy production. In the United States, this process, by which water and other chemicals are forced into buried shale rock to extract natural gas and oil, has boosted energy self-sufficiency, led to decreases in energy prices, and contributed to a reduction in the levels of conventional air pollution. Despite these benefits, questions remain about the impact of fracking on the environment and on the health of communities near extraction sites. Concern over potential risks, fueled in part by a lack of actionable data and review, has hindered the ability of policymakers to develop regulations around this method of energy production. Information about the impact of fracking on both the environment and health outcomes is critical as federal and state governments design energy policies for the future and must simultaneously plan for the health needs of their communities.

In a recent paper, health economists Janet Currie, Michael Greenstone, and Katherine Meckel analyzed the data records for all births from 2004 to 2013 in Pennsylvania, a state with more than 10,000 active fracking wells. Using the birth records and home addresses of more than one million infants, the authors compared health outcomes for babies before and after the fracking boom in Pennsylvania in 2008-2009, with a focus on differing results depending on proximity to fracking sites.

Their research suggested that the introduction of fracking worsened health outcomes among infants born to mothers living within three kilometers of a fracking site during pregnancy. However, the most significant health impacts were observed within one kilometer of fracking sites. For instance, their research indicated that infants born to mothers living within one kilometer of a well site experienced a 25 percent increase in the probability of a low birth weight after the introduction of fracking. Infants within the same proximity to well sites also exhibited a significant decline in average birth weight. The impact on health outcomes diminished at distances greater than three kilometers from the fracking sites, suggesting that effects from fracking were localized to a measurable radius. The authors noted that while they observed this link, they were unable to identify which, if any, aspect of fracking contributed to the low birth weights.

Importantly, the study addressed four problems that have prevented previous attempts from broadly examining the effects of fracking on health. First, the authors’ research utilized a sample size significantly larger than existing literature—approximately 1.1 million people. Second, the authors examined indices of infant health—including low birth weight, the presence of congenital anomalies, and other abnormal conditions—that differed from previous studies, which had focused on a single factor. Third, the authors tested for effects at different distances of maternal residence from wells, avoiding assumptions about where and to what extent health impacts became apparent. Finally, the study attempted to control for mother-fixed effects by comparing health outcomes of fracking-exposed children to those of siblings who weren’t exposed to fracking, although the authors note that the data on mother-fixed effects may be less precise.

Given the evolving market for energy production, it is important that policymakers and the public fully understand both the risks and rewards of new methods of extraction. This study presents evidence that links proximity to fracking sites to poorer health outcomes for infants. This evidence does not demonstrate a causal effect, but it provides both a helpful building block and a need for additional research. For example, if this link were observed with children, it is possible that proximity to fracking sites may have caused deleterious effects on the health of other populations. Further research could prove to be essential as federal and state governments design energy policies that incorporate environmental and health concerns.

Article source: Currie, Janet, Michael Greenstone, and Katherine Meckel, “Hydraulic Fracturing and Infant Health: New Evidence From Pennsylvania,” Science Advances 3, No. 12 (2017).

Featured photo: cc/(twilightproductions, photo ID: 177318327, from iStock by Getty Images)