The study found an estimated 26,000 lives were saved by replacing coal with natural gas, but health impacts from fracking weren't considered in the study.
Many thyroid cancer patients point to the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island 40 years ago as the cause of their disease. A Penn State College of Medicine study shows a correlation.
Rural areas see more of an economic boost, while metro Pittsburgh and other more densely populated counties bear the brunt of premature deaths from the industry's air pollution.
The state will spend $3.9 million to explore the potential health effects of fracking after months of pressure from families of cancer patients in Washington County.
