Letter to the editor: EPA must protect our children

The catastrophic leak of 1.29 billion cubic feet of methane in November in Jackson Township, Cambria County, has been referred to as one of the worst climate disasters of 2022.

While officials told the public the leak posed “no threat,” local residents felt concerned. Families near the leak reported a loud continuous roaring noise, the smell of natural gas, difficulty breathing and headaches. The leak was so large it could be seen from space. The sense of safety our families rely on is being eroded.

Over 100,000 children under the age of 18 live near a fracked well in Pennsylvania, according to Fractracker. Recent research found Pennsylvania children between ages 2 and 7 were two to three times more likely to develop leukemia if they lived near a fracked well. Oil and gas air pollution has been shown to cause respiratory diseases, asthma attacks, reproductive problems and cancer.

Earlier this month, I joined other parents to give public comment to the Environmental Protection Agency on the importance of cutting methane. The EPA must enact strong methane rules to create baseline protections for children like mine on the front line of this industry.

Vanessa Lynch

Indiana Township

The writer is a consultant and Pennsylvania state coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force.