The environmental group PennEnvironment is holding a series of statewide workshops on the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry, three of which will be held in the Pittsburgh area.
PennEnvironment Clean Water Advocate Erika Staaf said the events are meant to get people "up to speed" on the industry and teach them skills for dealing with energy companies, lawmakers, and media.
Organizers will also speak about the purported public health and environmental issues surrounding shale gas drilling, said Staaf, especially concerning the practice of using chemically-treated water to fracture rock layers — called "fracking."
Staaf said her group hopes to train 1000 people across the state through the workshops.
"So, we're not reaching out [to] only people in Pittsburgh, who are maybe more likely to do this kind of activity anyway, but also people in the northern tier, or central Pennsylvania, or people that might not always have access to these sorts of events," said Staaf.
She said trainees should feel free to use the information for whatever purpose they see fit, but noted that they are invited to join PennEnvironment.
The three workshops in the Pittsburgh area:
- Monday, Nov. 28, 6:00-8:45 p.m., at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library
- Saturday, Dec. 3, 1:00-4:00 p.m., at the Monroeville Public Library
- Saturday, Dec. 10, 1:00-4:00 p.m., at the Carnegie Public Library of Squirrel Hill
