BUTLER TWP — Does the Marcellus Shale gas well on Krendale Golf Course property pose a threat to surrounding residents and businesses? A group of activists who oppose unconventional drilling in populated areas say the answer is yes.

Extra chairs were needed for “Fracking Krendale: What Neighbors Need to Know,” held Saturday afternoon at Butler Township Park's park building.

About 50 people listened to two speakers discuss what they said are the dangers of placing shale gas wells near populated areas.

Joseph McMurry of Section 27 Alliance said before the presentations that the closest house to the Krendale well is about 550 feet away on North Eberhardt Road.

While there are homes closer to wells in other areas, McMurry said there are no wells as close to densely-populated neighborhoods and businesses.

In her presentation, Raina Rippel, the director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, pointed out that the Krendale well is within one mile of Moraine Pointe Plaza, Butler Commons, Lifesteps, Northwest Elementary School, Benbrook Medical Center and Lowery House senior assisted living, which is less than 1,300 feet from the well.

She said regulatory agencies like the state Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health are slow to respond to concerns about the potential health impacts of fracking and compressor stations, while drillers are racing to extract as much gas as possible before the health impacts are documented.

She said her organization has gathered and is now organizing data on resident exposure to wells and compressor stations and their symptoms.

“This is what your Department of Health should be doing,” said an angry Rippel. “Not us.”

She said doctors are not trained in environmental health, so those who live close to a well and present nosebleeds or respiratory ailments to their physicians may not be getting a correct diagnosis.

She said in addition to those symptoms, gastrointestinal issues and rashes may also be linked to fracking or compressor stations.

“These acute symptoms happen early on,” Rippel said. “Fast forward 10 to 20 years ... cancer.”

She said compressor stations build up pressure, which must be released in what is known in the industry as a “blowdown.” The volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulates, radon and other chemicals released in a blowdown can be dangerous to the health of those around the compressor station, Rippel said.

“They happen at night and in our weather conditions, the air just sits on your house,” she said.

She said young children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are the most vulnerable to the toxins in a blowdown.

Rippel said while industry representatives will say blowdowns are no longer performed, the smaller drillers still use the method to release pressure at compressor stations.

Several people in the audience asked questions and expressed shock at many of Rippel's claims.

One woman asked if there are any radioactive components released in fracking operations. Rippel replied that radon is emitted from shale gas formations when they are fracked and drilled.

Another man asked if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission keeps tabs on the radon.

“There is little to no attention being paid to that,” Rippel replied.

She said Butler County now has more than 600 shale gas wells. Washington County, where Rippel lives and works, has about 1,800.

Low birth weight and problems in early pregnancy have occurred in expectant mothers near wells and compressor stations, Rippel said.

“But the policymakers say no, we don't think there's any health effects from drilling,” she said.

Speaker Doug Shields discussed issues related to zoning and the placement of natural gas well pads, and infrastructure near residential neighborhoods.

Shields is the Western Pennsylvania outreach liaison for Food and Water Watch and a former president of Pittsburgh City Council.

He said most residents are unaware that the population of a municipality, not the elected officials, determine how a municipality lives.

“I'm here to empower people to understand that the elected officials work for us,” he said.

But Dave Spigelmyer, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, said the families, business and organizations around the Krendale well — or any well — need not worry.

“Our industry, including tens of thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians, is deeply committed to protecting the health, safety and environment of our communities,” Spigelmyer said in a statement. “We're proud of our long and clear record of safely producing clean-burning American energy that's improving our economy, our environment and our nation's security.”

He said the claims of shale gas opposition groups and the fear their message spreads are unfounded.

“As a Butler County resident, it's sad and unfortunate that some fringe activists are working to spread misinformation and fear,” Spigelmyer said.

Spigelmyer included in his statement six points to support his claims that shale gas drilling is not only safe, but has improved the environmental and economical climate of Pennsylvania.

Assertions in the six points include:

n “The U.S. has already come quite far in reducing carbon dioxide emissions,” said Carnegie Mellon University doctoral candidate Jeffrey J. Anderson. “The biggest driver of lower carbon dioxide emissions has been declining natural gas prices, which has allowed the industry to replace coal-fired power plants economically with cleaner natural gas power plants — and without a costly regulatory mandate.”

n An air quality study at the Fort Cherry School District in Washington County found that a nearby well pad “did not substantially affect local air concentrations of total and individual VOCs” and “all individual VOC concentrations in the monitored area were well below health-protective levels.”

n A Drexel University study said “We did not observe elevated levels of any of the light aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, etc.)” and “there are few emissions of nonalkane VOCs from Marcellus Shale development.”

n “The (state) Department of Health is not aware of any evidence to suggest that hydraulic fracturing practices have a negative impact on our residents' health,” a department representative said in 2012.

Spigelmyer said Butler County only benefits from shale gas operations, and he decried the claims of Rippel and Shields.

“Members of our community deserve and expect a fact- and science-based discussion about these important issues,” he said.