About
MAD-FACTS, or Moms and Dads: Family Awareness Cancer Threat Spike, is a group of residents and families from Washington and Greene Counties impacted by the natural gas industry. Without changes to Pennsylvania law, more families will suffer. Rates of asthma and cancer will only increase. MAD-FACTS advocates for greater protections against the natural gas industry until no more neighbors and family members experience the consequences of living near the infrastructure.
Jodi Borello
Jodi Borello is an advocate and grassroots organizer for the Center for Coalfield Justice (CCJ) in Southwestern Pennsylvania. CCJ fights for environmental justice for coalfield communities impacted by extractive industries, including the largest underground coal mine in North America and the more than three thousand fracking wells and related infrastructure in the region. She and her family have been negatively impacted by the fossil fuel industry through multiple substantiated environmental crimes. Jodi testified in front of the 43rd Statewide Grand Jury investigating industry conduct and the failures of government agencies to provide sufficient oversight of the fracking industry. Her testimony and the grand jury’s work led to recommendations to better protect Pennsylvanians from oil and gas operations. As a result, CNX Resources was charged and pleaded guilty to violating the Air Pollution Control Act and was forced to pay substantial fines and penalties. The nondisclosure agreement related to the grand jury was recently lifted and she is free to speak about the insidious conduct that has harmed her community. Jodi’s unique personal experience helps her serve impacted residents who are struggling to cope with the realities of fossil fuel development in the region. Because of the considerable numbers of cancer occurrences in the region, she helped create a volunteer group at CCJ called MAD-FACTS (Moms and Dads-Family Awareness of Cancer Threat Spike). This volunteer group is helping to share their knowledge of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Study regarding childhood cancer risks related to living in close proximity to oil and gas facilities. Jodi was born in Washington County, PA. She attended the University of Pittsburgh Main Campus and has a degree in Administration of Justice. After college she received additional schooling in Rome, Italy. Jodi owned and operated a small local business for over 23 years. She enjoys the outdoors, traveling, gardening, and spending time with her loved ones.
Janice Blanock
On August 7, 2016, Janice lost her 19 year old son Luke to a rare and aggressive pediatric bone cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma, that had also recently taken the lives of several young people in Washington County. In March of 2018, she retired after working for 12 years as a corporate receptionist at Crown Castle in Southpointe, Canonsburg, which gave her the time and flexibility to get involved with the Environmental Health Project. Through EHP, she met Lois Bjornson and became active doing presentations on the dangers of fracking. With Lois and other environmental activists, she took lawmakers, community representatives and media on tours of homes and communities that have been harmed or destroyed. Her involvement there led her to the Center for Coalfield Justice as a volunteer, where she along with the help of Jodi Borello created the group MAD-FACTS, Moms and Dads-Family Awareness of Cancer Threat Spike. The group is led by families directly impacted by Oil & Gas industry activity in their communities. The idea is to support and educate others in SWPA facing these threats. Her hope is that the knowledge she has gained will be understood, shared, and acted upon in communities across PA and that her passion to do this work will bring an abundance of energy and enthusiasm to CCJ. Her goal is to honor her son Luke’s name in the fight for a clean, safe and healthy environment.
Janice is the middle child of nine to her parents that were happily married for 60 years. She along with her parents, 4 brothers and 4 sisters lived in Brookline, ten minutes outside of downtown Pittsburgh. Besides Luke, Janice was blessed with 3 other children, Carla, Pierce and Kate, and so far has a fabulous son in law and daughter in law. She has 3 grandchildren, Christopher, Willow and Luna. On her days away from CCJ she enjoys quiet times with her husband Kurt in their empty nest, reading, cooking and baking. Additionally she enjoys attending Mass and church activities, babysitting, planning large family gatherings, experiencing outdoor adventures and traveling with friends.
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