Public health forum scheduled

Gas drilling hazards Callicoon, N.Y. —There will be a live-remote slide presentation by Theo Colborn, PhD. at the Delaware Youth Center, in Callicoon on Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. This event is part of an on-going effort by Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, a not-for-profit, grass-roots organization to educate the Upper Delaware River Water Basin community on the health impacts of the proposed gas and oil drilling. Dr. Colborn, who is a leading expert in this field, is a Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and President of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange. She is co-author of the book, “Our Stolen Future.” She will speak as an environmental health analyst and as a resident of western Colorado whose watershed and air are being damaged by natural gas drilling, production and delivery. She contends that overwhelming evidence now exists that this “secret” gas drilling process, which was made possible by exemptions from all environmental laws and protections, causes contaminated drinking water, carcinogens in the farmland and food chain, depletion of the aquifer, risk of explosions, toxic air pollution, plummeting real estate values, and screeching noise pollution. Dr. Colborn will discuss the impact to be expected upon the Upper Delaware River System. Dr. Colborn will make this presentation live to the audience assembled in Callicoon, N.Y. - from her home in Colorado via a remote hook-up. Dr. Theo Colborn, testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on The Applicability of Federal Requirements to Protect Public Health and the Environment from Oil and Gas Development, October 31, 2007. For a text of Dr. Colborn’s testimony, please visit: http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20071031104835.pdf Dr. Colborn studies the health impacts to humans, wildlife and domestic animals in areas of gas drilling. She exposes the chemicals Halliburton and other companies actually use, and the extreme health dangers that they pose. Historically, these chemicals have not been properly handled, causing ground water contamination and air pollution. Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, interacts with the community through its data base of over 2143 concerned residents living in the Upper Delaware River Basin. We are working to prevent the dire effects of gas and oil well drilling in this region. The organization has recently retained several prominent environmental attorneys to protect the community’s public health, our private property, and the integrity of the Upper Delaware River System. The Delaware Youth Center is located at 8 Creamery Road in Calliccon. Recently produced video testimonials of real life with gas wells, can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/GasWellTruth Place your events on the calendar at pikecountycourier.com.