The Straight Scoop on Shale
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania
2025 Shale Conference
Join Us for the
2025 Shale Gas and Public Health Conference: New Directions
Thursday, February 27, 2025, 9:00am – 4:30pm
with lunch and light refreshments provided, followed by a social hour
At the Power Center at Duquesne University, 1015 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Co-Presented by Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University.
The sessions will also be streamed online. The conference is free, but registration is required.
Registration is now closed
Agenda
8:30 AM Registration
9:00 Welcome
Ellen Gawalt, PhD, Dean School of Science and Engineering
Amy Widestrom, PhD, League of Women Voters PA
Tonyehn Verkitus, Physicians for Social Responsibility PA
John Stolz, PhD
9:15 – 10:45 Research & Health Studies
James Fabisiak, PhD. [Moderator]
9:15: Early Epidemiological Results into Oil and Gas Development from a Prospective Preconception Cohort Study
Mary Willis, PhD, MPH
9:45 Fighting back against the “blue” hydrogen buildout in Cancer Alley, Louisiana
Cyndhia Ramatchandirane, MS
10:15: Chemical Characterization of Natural Gas Leaking from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Western Pennsylvania
Eric Lebel, PhD
10:45 – 11:15 Health Panel
James Fabisiak, PhD. [Moderator]
Alison Steele, MBA
Pouné Saberi, MD
Mary Willis, PhD, MPH
Cyndhia Ramatchandirane, MS
Eric Lebel, PhD
11:15 Break
11:30 – 12:30 Radiation and Waste
John Stolz, PhD [Moderator]
11:30 Petroleum 238
Justin Nobel
12:00 Geochemistry of produced waters sourced from the Marcellus Shale: Lithium resource potential, infrastructure impacts, and NORM risk realities
Justin Mackey, PhD
12:30 – 1:30 PM Lunch & Keynote
Bob Donnan – 15 Years of Shale Gas Development Through My Camera Lens
Ron Gulla
1:30 – 3:00 PM Water Resources and Contamination
Daniel Bain, PhD [Moderator]
1:30 An Analysis of Water Quality in the Oldest Hydrocarbon Basin in the USA
Jennifer Baka, PhD
2:00 Contamination of Private Water Supplies After a Well Communication Event
John Stolz, PhD
2:30 (remote) Key Considerations to Address Corrosion Risk with Carbon Capture Transportation & Sequestration
Steven Jansto, PhD
3:00 – 4:15 Panel: Community Wins and Alternative Solutions
Tonyehn Verkitus [Moderator]
Matthew Mehalik, PhD
Lois Bower-Bjornson Gillian Graber
Patty DeMarco, PhD
Rachel Pecharka
4:15 Wrap Up
4:30 Post Conference Reception