Evaluation of gas well setback policy in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania in relation to emissions of fine particulate matter

Banan, Zoya; Gernand, Jeremy M.

doi:10.1080/10962247.2018.1462866

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(53 reference statements)

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“…This work adds to a growing body of literature on UOGD exposure and women’s and children’s health used to inform policy, such as setback distances (the required minimum distance between a private residence or other sensitive location and a UOG well). 109 , 110 Current setback distances in the United States are the subject of much debate, 111 , 112 with some calling for setback distances to be lengthened to more than

(1,000 ft) 113 , 114 and as far as

(3,281 ft). 115 The current setback distance in Pennsylvania is

(500 ft), extended from

(200 ft) in 2012.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case–Control Study in Pennsylvania, 2009–2017

Clark

Johnson

Soriano

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

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Background: Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) releases chemicals that have been linked to cancer and childhood leukemia. Studies of UOGD exposure and childhood leukemia are extremely limited. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate potential associations between residential proximity to UOGD and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood leukemia, in a large regional sample using UOGD-specific metrics, including a novel metric to represent the water pathway. Methods: We conducted a registry-based case–control study of 405 children ages 2–7 y diagnosed with ALL in Pennsylvania between 2009–2017, and 2,080 controls matched on birth year. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between residential proximity to UOGD (including a new water pathway-specific proximity metric) and ALL in two exposure windows: a primary window (3 months preconception to 1 y prior to diagnosis/reference date) and a perinatal window (preconception to birth). Results: Children with at least one UOG well within of their birth residence during the primary window had 1.98 times the odds of developing ALL in comparison with those with no UOG wells [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 3.69]. Children with at least one vs. no UOG wells within during the perinatal window had 2.80 times the odds of developing ALL (95% CI: 1.11, 7.05). These relationships were slightly attenuated after adjusting for maternal race and socio-economic status [odds ratio (OR) (95% CI: 0.93, 3.27) and (95% CI: 0.93, 5.95)], respectively). The ORs produced by models using the water pathway-specific metric were similar in magnitude to the aggregate metric. Discussion: Our study including a novel UOGD metric found UOGD to be a risk factor for childhood ALL. This work adds to mounting evidence of UOGD’s impacts on children’s health, providing additional support for limiting UOGD near residences. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11092

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(1,000 ft) 113 , 114 and as far as

(3,281 ft). 115 The current setback distance in Pennsylvania is

(500 ft), extended from

(200 ft) in 2012.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case–Control Study in Pennsylvania, 2009–2017

Clark

Johnson

Soriano

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A later US air pollution study from 2018 of working wells found that even though the setback distance policy in their state (Pennsylvania of 500 ft. or 152.4 m) might be effective in some cases, exposure limit exceedance occurred frequently at this distance with higher than average emission rates and/or greater number of wells per well pad. Existing standards were viewed as inadequate [172]. Some US studies have called for additional setbacks where vulnerable groups are found, including schools, day care centres, and hospitals.…”

Section: Data and Evidence: Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lagging and Flagging: Air Pollution, Shale Gas Exploration and the Interaction of Policy, Science, Ethics and Environmental Justice in England

Watterson

Dinan

2020

IJERPH

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The science on the effects of global climate change and air pollution on morbidity and mortality is clear and debate now centres around the scale and precise contributions of particular pollutants. Sufficient data existed in recent decades to support the adoption of precautionary public health policies relating to fossil fuels including shale exploration. Yet air quality and related public health impacts linked to ethical and environmental justice elements are often marginalized or missing in planning and associated decision making. Industry and government policies and practices, laws and planning regulations lagged well behind the science in the United Kingdom. This paper explores the reasons for this and what shaped some of those policies. Why did shale gas policies in England fail to fully address public health priorities and neglect ethical and environmental justice concerns. To answer this question, an interdisciplinary analysis is needed informed by a theoretical framework of how air pollution and climate change are largely discounted in the complex realpolitik of policy and regulation for shale gas development in England. Sources, including official government, regulatory and planning documents, as well as industry and scientific publications are examined and benchmarked against the science and ethical and environmental justice criteria. Further, our typology illustrates how the process works drawing on an analysis of official policy documents and statements on planning and regulatory oversight of shale exploration in England, and material from industry and their consultants relating to proposed shale oil and gas development. Currently the oil, gas and chemical industries in England continue to dominate and influence energy and feedstock-related policy making to the detriment of ethical and environmental justice decision making with significant consequences for public health.

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“…Total emissions in areas highly concentrated with shale gas development may lead to concentrations higher than the EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (Banan and Gernand, 2018), and recorded data show that in some cases, concentrations increased up to 20 to 40 times higher than the permitted level (Sovacool, 2014). State and local governments designate the minimum distance between a shale gas wellsite and any residential building (known as setback distance) to control the associated health risks from emissions due to shale gas activities and to protect public safety (McKenzie et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, studies showed that setback policies were not successful in achieving their purpose to the fullest (Haley et al, 2016;Banan and Gernand, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Model Predicted Distribution of PM2.5 Exposure-Related Health Effects from Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Pennsylvania, 2005-2017

Banan

Gernand

2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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BackgroundDevelopment of Marcellus shale gas in recent years has turned into a public concern due to air quality changes and associated health impacts caused by emissions from shale gas development. Controlling standards and regulations were devised to provide health protection from exposure to such emissions, but health impact incidences have been reported in the areas where shale gas activities were prevailing. This study estimates the changes in expected health impacts associated to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions from shale gas development in Pennsylvania between 2005 and 2017.MethodsThe change in incidence rates is estimated using a Gaussian plume model to simulate PM2.5 concentrations over time and distance and a health risk model to calculate the relative risk of exposure associated with different concentration levels.ResultsSimulation results indicate that PM2.5 emissions from shale gas development could increase the incidence of health outcomes at specific locations over the studied timespan and in case of asthma, this increase could be as high as 20,411 persons over 13-years.ConclusionThis study identifies the areas in Pennsylvania where more health risk assessment could be prioritized. An effective health-governing regulation should account for level of development activities as well as spatial characteristics (i.e., climate and population) of their vicinity to successfully provide health protection from air pollutants caused by shale gas development.

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Evaluation of gas well setback policy in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania in relation to emissions of fine particulate matter

Cited by 15 publications

References 27 publications

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case–Control Study in Pennsylvania, 2009–2017

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case–Control Study in Pennsylvania, 2009–2017

Lagging and Flagging: Air Pollution, Shale Gas Exploration and the Interaction of Policy, Science, Ethics and Environmental Justice in England

Model Predicted Distribution of PM2.5 Exposure-Related Health Effects from Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Pennsylvania, 2005-2017

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