Recently retired public‑health scientist Lisa McKenzie, once alarmed by the dense patchwork of well pads skirting Denver, turned her expertise toward exposing the hidden toll of fracking on pregnant people, infants, and those with heart and lung conditions. Her Colorado‑based epidemiological work has revealed troubling links between nearby oil and gas activity and elevated risks of childhood developmental disorders, low birth weight, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
As she dug deeper into the sprawling network of wells creeping into suburban communities, the implications for homeowners, regulators, and policymakers grew only more urgent. This article examines her findings—and explains why what’s happening at the fossil‑fuel frontier of the Front Range matters for all of us.
Save The Aurora Reservoir (STAR) has requested further investigation and action from both Arapahoe County and the ECMC (State of Colorado) Commissioners. ECMC commissioner Trisha Oeth stated in the article, “This would be an opportunity for the authors of these studies to present their study methodology and findings. I think ultimately this would help me understand the key takeaways.” However, as of writing, no date has been set for this presentation and several new oil & gas permits continue to be issued every month at both the state and county level, based on potentially outdated and inadequate regulations.
Read the full Capital & Main article here.
