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Health Risks of Living Near Natural Gas Development
Health Risks of Living Near Natural Gas Development
Health Risks of Living Near Natural Gas Development
Haley M, McCawley M, Epstein AC, Arrington B, Bjerke EF. Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for
Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. Environ
Health Perspect; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510547
Haley M, McCawley M, Epstein AC, Arrington B, Bjerke EF. Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for
Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. Environ
Health Perspect; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510547
Carbonyl Sulfide
Plume extended in excess of 1
mile
Up to 6 times the health
benchmark
Nitrogen Oxides
Lung disease hospitalizations, ozone
Carbon Monoxide
Reduces oxygen in the blood
9
8
7
6
5
4
mcg/3m3
2
1
0
Natural Gas
Development Area
> 1/2 mile away
Well Completion
samples 130-500 ft
from well pad center
during uncontrolled
flowback
for 1-3
wells/ mile , low exposure (281 births)
for 4-124
wells/ mile, medium exposure (300
births)
Results
Infants in the highest quartile of
exposure (> 6 wells/ mile) were
34% more likely to have low
birthweight, below 10th percentile
Compare to infants in the lowest
quartile of exposure (< 0.87 wells/mi)
Results statistically significant (p = .02)
adjusted for multiple factors
Image credit: Getty Images
The Data
180 households/ 494 individuals with a
private water well
624 active natural gas wells
Survey regarding health symptoms
The Results
Compared to people living > 2 km from
the nearest gas well, People living < 1 km
away had a greater incidence of:
Upper respiratory symptoms (39% vs
18%)
Skin symptoms (13% vs 3%)
Average number of reported symptoms
(3.3 vs 1.6)
Results statistically significant even after
adjustment for multiple factors
Image from Parr Family, Lisa Parrs daughter, Emma (published
by CNN) TX