“Community Health and Shale Development Guidebook” is a new publication by RESOLVE that seeks to educate local public health officials and other stakeholders on the health issues that could arise if shale energy development—known colloquially as fracking—were to take place in their communities.
A 2013 Wall Street Journal analysis determined that more than 15 million Americans now live within a mile of a shale well that has been drilled since 2000. Knowing the possible health effects that might arise from fracking activity is critical to the health and safety of a community. The guidebook provides information on the health issues possible to occur throughout the fracking lifecycle, from initial assessment to project closure, and is uniquely positioned to be a valuable source of information for those unfamiliar with the process. Developed by a cross-sector working group including representatives from NACCHO, the Pew Trusts Health Impact Assessment Project, and Shell Oil Company, as well as contributions from subject matter experts in the public health, NGO, and industry sectors, the guidebook offers options for responding to challenges, case studies of successful solutions, and a set of in-depth resources from a variety of perspectives.
In addition to providing information and options for local decision-makers, the guidebook will inform the design of trainings and educational materials for public health officials. Launched as both a print and web-based resource, the guidebook is accessible to all stakeholders and will be regularly updated with new information and case studies.