health impacts of oil and natural gas (and what we can do about it)

It's

And what we can do about it

Health Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas

WHICH IS WORSE?

GLOBAL IMPACT300,000 deaths/ year

3.7 million deaths/year

200,000 deaths/ year in US

6 cities with the worst air in the US

Fresno-Madera

Los Angeles-Long Beach

Visalia-Porterville-Hanford

Bakersfield

Modesto

Sacramento-Roseville

American Lung Association, State of the Air 2014

8 HOUR OZONE LEVELS

Red dots = Prior non attainment > 75 ppbBrown dots = New non attainment > 70 ppb

Vulnerability

Exposure

Ozone

Relative O3 exposure and pediatric hospitalization for asthma

Fine Particulates pm2.5

Kunzli, 2005

Carotid thickening and fine particulate exposure in LA

05/01/23

Visceral fat is an endocrine organ

The Lancet 2011 378, DOI: (10.1016/S0140-6736(1)

Relative risk (RR) of type 2 diabetes by waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) relative to baseline BMI (in kg/m2). n = 27 270.

Youfa Wang et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81:555-563

©2005 by American Society for Nutrition

05/01/23

Epigenetic effects

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Risk of obesity at 5yrs 7 yrs

Fresno, CA FACES Study

PAH exposure

Methylated FoxP3 gene

Decreased T cell regulation

Increased asthma risk and severity

Neurodevelopmental ToxicityDoubles RR of Autism and Special Ed

Refineries High emissions near large populations

Bay Area refinery air pollution

Transport

Oil by Rail Accidents

2013- 2015

OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION

What goes down....CA Fracking Study

300 chemicals

30% unidentified

30% of the identified: toxicity unknown

Of the known: “petroleum distillates”benzene, ethylbenzene, napthalene,

formaldehydeConventional drilling also uses chemicals

What else comes upNot just fracking

Methane (CH4)

Other Hydrocarbons (Ethane (C2H6) Propane (C3H8) Butane (C4H10)

Nitrogen (N2)

Hydrogen sulfide H2S

VOCs: Benzene, Toluene, Ethylene, Xylene

Produced Water

NORM: Radium 226 & 228, Lead 210, Radon 222

Heavy Metals: Arsenic (Ar) Lead (Pb)

What could possibly go wrong?

lnflammatory Agents

Carcinogens

Teratogens

Neurotoxins

Endocrine Disruptors

How it gets out

FORMALDEHYDE

Macey, 2014

HYDROGEN SULFIDE BENZENE

(Macey, 2014)

OZONE

Helmig, 2j014

OZONE LEVELS WELLS

Climate Implications

SHORT LIVED – HIGH WARMING O & G Emissions

METHANE

NITROUS OXIDE

BLACK CARBON

CARBON DIOXIDE**for comparison

Life 20 yr GWP12 years 84

114 years 289

days-weeks 3,200

200-10,000 1years

BOTTOM UP METHOD: METHANE

TOP DOWN METHOD: METHANE

ENV REG 101

EPA Clean Air and Water Acts

1) Air and water standards for criteria pollutants

2) Technology requirements for major sources

NEPAEnvironmental impact review in federal permitting

Oil and Gas Loopholes

Piecemeal permits

Categorical exclusion from NEPA

Oil and Gas Loopholes

Piecemeal permitting

Categorical exclusion from NEPA

EPA's Methane and VOC proposed rules for new sources

Equipment with lower emissions

Collect and use instead of venting and flaring

Inspections for leaks

Defines aggregation as within quarter mile

PROBLEMS Leaves out major sources–Existing–Piecemeal loophole– Liquid unloading

Inspections q 6-12 months, allows skips

No measurements beyond plant

Potential Methane Reductions from O & GProjected Reduction from EPA Rules = 5%

OUR COMMENT LETTER MAIN POINTS

Cover all significant sources– Existing– Connected– Liquid unloading

Minimum of quarterly inspections

Top down and fenceline measurements

Who should you ask to sign?

StudentsNursesDoctors

Public HealthMental Health

Respiratory TherapistsOther health care workers

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