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5 Air Quality
Pages 39-60

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From page 39...
... performed to assess potential risks of unconventional natural gas drilling near a retirement community. The presentations are followed by a summary of the discussion that ensued.
From page 40...
... Types of Air Pollutants Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Natural gas development and production emits criteria pollutants as defined by the Clean Air Act (EPA, 2012)
From page 41...
... There may be an increase in knowledge as the field moves to more controlled "green completions" that significantly reduce fugitive emissions of methane and other gases. During the gas production phase, sources such as compressor stations, heaters and dehydrators, condensate tanks, fugitive emissions, and pneumatics emit air pollutants.
From page 42...
... However, there are not many sites in more rural, less populated areas, where much of the gas development is occurring. A monitoring strategy to understand the air quality impacts of shale gas developments in less populated areas, such as in the Marcellus Shale region, is needed.
From page 43...
... In the Marcellus region, new natural gas development has rapidly expanded. There were no Marcellus wells in the mid-2000s.
From page 44...
... Fuel switching from diesel to natural gas is also an option, and will reduce diesel particulate matter (but not necessarily NOx emissions)
From page 45...
... All of the technology currently exists. When discussing air pollution and natural gas, it cannot be overlooked that natural gas development provides some air quality benefits to end users, Dr.
From page 46...
... This type of monitoring station is permanent and provides a 24hour sample every sixth day. FIGURE 5-2 Dallas–Fort Worth area ozone design values and Barnett Shale production.
From page 47...
... This case underscores a concern of TCEQ about air quality and gas developments. There are many gas developments in Longview, Texas -- about one every 0.25 mile.
From page 48...
... They are slightly bigger than home camcorders, and field investigators can walk around a facility with them. Since August 2009, TCEQ has surveyed 2,122 gas development sites using GasFindIRTM cameras, and, at 2,078 of these sites, handheld VOC samplers were also used.
From page 49...
... Honeycutt said. In the town of Dish, Texas, many residents were concerned about the effects of shale gas development.
From page 50...
... AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE AND RISK NEAR UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS DRILL SITES: AN EXAMPLE FROM GARFIELD COUNTY, COLORADO John Adgate, Ph.D., M.S.P.H. Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Colorado School of Public Health John Adgate began his presentation by describing the term "unconventional natural gas drilling" as the cradle-to-grave process of developing a well and extracting the gas resources.
From page 51...
... These samples were used to characterize ambient air levels in the natural gas development area between 2008 and 2010; this was the period over which production peaked and then started to wane. To collect additional data for the HIA, representatives of Garfield County Public Health staff visited a well site to conduct air sampling.
From page 52...
... and ambient air samples over a duration of 30 years. 4 In Garfield County, 9 months to 1 year are required to develop a well, a well may undergo hydraulic fracturing multiple times, and there are usually multiple wells in a pad.
From page 53...
... The process of estimating cancer risk is distinct from estimating noncancer health effects. The long-term average exposure for each carcinogen was estimated for a 30-year time period using the ambient air sampling data.
From page 54...
... Residents living near well completion activities are potentially exposed to substantial levels of air toxics. Subchronic noncancer cumulative and end point specific hazard indexes are greater than 1 for residents living near well pads.
From page 55...
... Adgate said that short-term exposures are probably important to address and that prevention strategies should be directed at minimizing exposures during well completion activities to reduce potential subchronic noncancer risks. AIR QUALITY RESPONDENT Bernard D
From page 56...
... Ozone and formaldehyde are two key examples of emissions that result from natural gas development and use, and that may affect health. According to Dr.
From page 57...
... Goldstein emphasized, it is important to make a distinction between the two types of air pollutants that have been discussed. One kind includes pollutants that no one wants in the air, that is, NOx, ozone, and formaldehyde.
From page 58...
... 2012. Air pollution exposure and risk near unconventional natural gas drill sites: Examples from Garfield County, Colorado.
From page 59...
... 2013. Air pollutant emissions from the development, production, and processing of Marcellus Shale natural gas.


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