RAPID: Geoscience education for communities impacted by gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale

Paleontological Research Institute, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

A partnership between the Paleontological Research Institution, the Cornell Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Cornell Cooperative Extension is developing a centralized, comprehensive, and objective educational source of scientific information regarding the potential environmental consequences of hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale, which is under development throughout the Appalachian Basin as a natural gas resource. This RAPID award responds to a dramatic increase in the demand for reliable and neutral scientific information within the affected communities and enables significantly enhanced outreach efforts in south-central NY State, where drilling is expected to commence by late spring 2010. Public interest in this issue is providing an opportunity to raise public Earth System Science Literacy and to develop educational resources and practices that help the public better understand relative risk and how to make evidence-based decisions under uncertainty. Project activities will eventually expand to additional areas of Marcellus drilling, especially in PA and WV, where complementary outreach efforts focused on land-use issues and workforce needs are underway. It is expected that several tens of thousands of individuals will be reached through a combination of direct outreach in community forums and printed materials disseminated through a network of extension agents and web site.