Booksigning

     An award-winning veteran journalist will
discuss issues of fracking, 1 p.m., Sunday, at the Moravian Bookshop,
Bethlehem.

     Dr. Walter Brasch, author of the
recently-released book, “Fracking Pennsylvania,” will discuss what fracking
is—and what it is not, as well as the economic, political, health, and
environmental impacts. He will also discuss fracking’s impact upon people who
do not live in the Marcellus Shale.

     Brasch’s research into fracking had begun
more than four years ago. However, it was a medical “gag order” in the
legislation that led to a series of columns and then to the book, Brasch says.

     In researching the book, Brasch talked with
numerous persons who worked in the industry or were affected by fracking’s
effects, as well as environmentalists, physicians, and scientists of several
disciplines. “Although I had a background in science as an undergraduate, and
as a journalist often wrote medical and science articles,” says Brasch, “the
learning curve—especially trying to read and understand numerous peer-reviewed
journal articles—was rather steep.” He says his responsibility was to
understand—“and even question”—the research and to communicate the information
to the public.

     His book, says Brasch, presents some
complicated issues in an easy-to-understand fashion, while also humanizing the
problems. His investigation also includes tracking corporate and political
connections.

     “Fracking Pennsylvania” has received
critical praise from environmentalists and reviewers. The MidWest Book Review says
it “should be considered mandatory reading by
environmentalists and politicians, but most especially by non-specialist
general readers.” EcoWatch, one of the nation’s largest environmental news
agencies, says the book is “a valuable contribution.”

     Brasch is a former newspaper and magazine
reporter and editor, former writer-producer of multimedia productions, and
professor of journalism/mass communications. He is currently a syndicated
social issues columnist and host of the weekly radio series, “The Frack
Report.” This book is his 18th, most of which fuse history with contemporary
social issues.

     Among more than 200 media awards are those
from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, National Federation of Press
Women, Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press Broadcasters
Association, Pennsylvania Women’s Press Association, Press Club of Southern
California, Pacific Coast Press Club, and California Newspaper Publishers
Association. He is also the recipient of the Pennsylvania Press Club’s
Communicator of Achievement award for lifetime service to journalism.

-30-