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Fracking-bill medical provisions questioned
youngstown
Some groups continue to question the medical provisions of oil-and-gas legislation, even as the bill was signed into law Monday.
One of the more-serious issues is what happens when someone comes into the hospital in an emergency situation. Susie Beiersdorfer, geologist at Youngstown State University and activist with Frack Free Mahoning Valley, wonders if the doctor will have access to the fracking chemicals quickly enough.
“We would like to see a forum and dialogue with medical experts to go over the provisions of SB 315,” she said.
The medical portions of the law were put into place after the public-comment period, so people did not have the ability to come to Columbus and testify about them, Beiersdorfer said.
Another concern is the health of first-responders, particularly in rural areas, who might have to go to drilling sites, she said.
Is there going to be any way for those people to know what types of chemicals are there that could impact their health?, Beiersdorfer asked.
The Ohio law states the medical professional shall not disclose the information received for any purpose that is not medical.
The state’s law is very similar to one passed in Pennsylvania and an act used in Colorado.
The Ohio State Medical Association initially was unhappy with the bill’s provisions relating to medical treatment, said Tim Maglione, OSMA’s senior director of government relations.
When the bill first was introduced, its language could have been read to limit what doctors could tell their patients about chemicals they might have been exposed to, he said.
“We wrote an amendment, and it got into the final bill,” Maglione said. “Those additions alleviated our concerns.”
The bill as it now reads ensures that doctors can have conversations with patients and in addition can report to the Ohio Department of Health anything strange that could impact other people, he said.
Those within the oil-and-gas industry are confident the current legislation will keep the public safe.
Senate Bill 315 came just two years after former Gov. Ted Strickland signed an overhaul of Ohio’s oil-and- gas regulatory system that was passed with bipartisan support and praised by peer review and environmental groups, said Daniel Alfaro, communications director for Energy in Depth — Ohio.
“This bill effectively updates current law and gives Ohio the most robust and transparent regulatory system in the country. This will go a long way in mitigating any concerns regarding the safe practices of the oil and natural-gas industry while allowing these companies coming in to continue to develop our state’s natural resources and continue putting Ohioans back to work,” he said.
Terry Fleming, executive director of the Ohio Petroleum Council, said the bill would ensure “safe and responsible” shale development.
“It is our hope that these new regulations, which passed with industry support, give Ohioans peace of mind regarding the exploration and development of the shale resources in the state,” Fleming said. “Ohioans should rest assured that will continue to be done in a safe manner.”
Pennsylvania’s law requires any company that receives a written request by a health professional to release the type and amount of chemicals claimed to be a trade secret or confidential proprietary information. The health professional also has to sign a confidentiality agreement and agree the information is necessary for treatment of a patient, that the person being treated may have been exposed to a hazardous chemical and disclosure may assist in a diagnosis.