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Drakulic Trial Concludes, Protect PT Hopeful

Writer's picture: Protect PTProtect PT

After eight grueling days, the Drakulic trial has finally come to an end today, January 27, 2025. Noticeably less full than day one, the courtroom audience is quiet. Suits had filled the right side of the room, spilling out of the rows into a line of folding chairs shoved against the wall before. Today, Protect PT and their supporters dominate the room. Gillian Graber, Protect PT Executive Director, has been here every day, taking notes and shaking and nodding her head in varying degrees of enthusiasm as the lawyers attempt to outmaneuver each other with every witness.

Protect PT at the Drakulic Trial, January 27, 2025
Protect PT at the Drakulic Trial, January 27, 2025

Today, her husband had joined her in court. If this trial does not pan out in Protect PT’s favor, it is very likely that the Draklic Well Pad will be constructed near their home. Best case scenario, it causes them nuisance as the drilling rumbles the earth and industry trucks clog the small winding road leading to their neighborhood. Worst case scenario, they, their children, and thousands of other families will experience health impacts from living in such close proximity to a fracking well, much like residents across the country who happen to reside in the shale fields. Gillian’s husband holds her close, an arm around her shoulders in comfort.


The morning is spent discussing the risk posed by unconventional oil and gas development pertaining to radioactivity—namely, radon. Radon, an invisible, odorless, radioactive gas formed from uranium decay, is found naturally in rocks and soils. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in the United States for non-smokers and kills an estimated 21,000 people every year (1). Concerningly, the rise of radon to the surface can be expedited when there are cracks in the ground through human activity, such as fracking. Pennsylvania happens to be a hot spot for radon and fracking. Despite what Apex suggests, Protect PT’s concern about the increased risk of radon exposure for the thousands of families located near the proposed pad is downright logical. 


This is only further supported by the fact that waste produced by fracking is known to be radioactive and very dangerous to human health. Unfortunately, Protect PT is unable to discuss the hazardous waste that would be produced at the site due to the industry’s lawyers successfully fighting the elimination of Protect PT’s concerns. While the federal government has known about the radioactivity of fracking waste since the 70s, the Grabers only learned about it in the past few years, long after the Drakulic fight started.


After a break, the attorneys and judge discuss the logistics of a site visit. Protect PT can only hope that the journey to Westmoreland County might sway the judge by providing her the opportunity to see the sprawling suburban neighborhoods that would be directly impacted by the well pad, including the Grabers'.


Apex’s lawyers push for a quick adjudication. The judge kindly reminds them that all parties are entitled to their due process rights.


We hope to have the Environmental Hearing Board’s decision in three months' time. Until then, Protect PT will continue fighting to protect residents across southwest Pennsylvania facing the same uphill battle against an increasingly powerful industry.



Emily Nissley

Communications Manager

Protect PT

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