Teenagers file lawsuit after toxic catastrophe forces them to leave childhood homes: 'Grossly negligent and reckless'

Four children in West Virginia are taking a gas company giant to federal court after being knowingly exposed to toxic pollutants that have resulted in neurological and respiratory health problems.

Pittsburgh's Public Source reported that three families and longtime residents of Knob Fork want EQT Corporation — the largest U.S. natural gas producer based in Pittsburgh — to take full financial responsibility for the negligence, illness, and distress their "grossly negligent and reckless" fracking operations in West Virginia have caused. 

According to the Public Source article, the lawsuit states the children and their families were exposed to "hazardous, carcinogenic and radioactive pollutants, sickening them and forcing them to leave their childhood homes."

A mother of one of the plaintiffs, Abby Tennant, was quoted, "They absolutely cannot deny that they are polluting our valley … It is straight emissions into the air blowing right at us."

Internal West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection records show EQT's pollution in Knob Fork contains benzene and toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, as well as hexane and formaldehyde. When inhaled, these volatile organic compounds can cause dizziness, headaches, tremors, anxiety, confusion, nerve damage, muscle fatigue, cancer, and even death.

The attorney representing the families, Lisa Johnson, said, "These things are inherently dangerous." 

Minor plaintiff Garrett Hollabaugh, 17 years old, was diagnosed with connective tissue disorder, which has been linked to the facility's pollution. He also faces joint issues, scoliosis, nodules on his thyroid, anxiety, depression, and anemia, while at risk of losing his eyesight and ability to walk. Just in the last year, he has been in the hospital four times for a collapsed lung.

Piper Tennant, almost 16, is frequently dizzy, nauseous, and short of breath. 

"You have to go and have surgeries, and you have to recover from that and everything, it stops. Your plans, your future, all of it just goes out the window," Abby Tennant said, according to Public Source.

Matt Kennedy, father of two plaintiffs, said: "It's a big relief, to have someone finally go to the plate and bat for us. I hope we get some kind of resolution … It's pennies on the dollar for them. They'd make it back in an hour or two."

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Physically and financially, their quality of life has been severely affected. The biggest fear is that the worst is yet to come as their symptoms develop. While the children are being represented in the lawsuit, there are also seven adults facing the effects of the EQT operations. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations has passed for them.

With pushes to fuel AI, more power plants and data centers are being built, despite the clear health hazards they represent to surrounding residents. EQT and its CEO, Toby Rice, insist they run a responsible operation that is "the largest green initiative on the planet," according to Public Source. 

When giant corporations such as EQT or Bayer find loopholes to evade responsibility for the health repercussions their products are causing, we all suffer the effects — and they can be life-threatening. This is one of several reasons why ditching dirty energy for clean energy sources is so important. Make the upgrade in your home, the way you travel, and what you eat. 

A youth group in Alaska is holding the state accountable for agreeing to a $40 billion gas export project that is expected to triple the region's planet-warming pollution output. An Arizona community is holding its government accountable for contaminated groundwater that has had devastating consequences. Follow suit and take local action to help clean up your community, keep big corporations honest, and protect our environment.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.