Friends of the UNB Woodlot - 2nd Presentation to the Public Safety and Environment Committee, City...

Air Pollution from Shale Gas Development “is a Certainty”

- the Evidence for a Ban

April 03, 2012Mark D’Arcy, Friends of the UNB Woodlot

Presentation to the Public Safety & Environment Committee, City of Fredericton

My name is Mark D’Arcy and I am with the group Friends of the UNB Woodlot. We appreciate this opportunity to make a presentation to the Public Safety & Environment Committee on the dangers poised by air pollution if shale gas development is allowed to proceed in the large regions outside Fredericton.

We have been active on the University of New Brunswick Woodlot issue since 2007. The UNB Woodlot represents a microcosm of several key environmental issues facing our city and also has been a real litmus test of the environmental protection policies in our province.

“Attracting investment, entrepreneurs, and talented professionals and skilled trades people is based largely

on the quality of life and amenities a community has to offer, and excellent healthcare is at the top of the list.

When potential newcomers to the community hear that it can take 2-3 years to make a doctor’s patient list, we

start to look a lot less appealing.”

“Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Says Doctor Shortage Still a Pressing Issue”,Andrew Steeves, President, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, March 23, 2012

http://www.frederictonchamber.ca/content/250205

Air Pollution is not just a Public Health issue but a critical economic issue for Fredericton:

Presentation Outline

1. Sources of air pollution from shale gas operations

2. Toxic chemicals identified to date in this air pollution

3. Emerging health effects from this air pollution

4. Obligations to the public - “precautionary principle”

5. Recommendations

6. Alternative economic development policies

1. Sources of air pollution from shale gas operations

Data has recently come out from government, university research, and municipalities which show that air pollution from shale gas development has worse health effects than the water pollution. Parts of once pristine, rural Wyoming have smog levels equal to Los Angeles.

Even for residents that live far away from shale gas operations, the following has become a common statement about these affected communities:

"Water pollution is a possibility, air pollution is a certainty." (google Dr. Theo Colburn)

Sources of air pollution associated with shale gas operations

1. Intentional venting and flaring of natural gas

2. Diesel emissions from truck traffic

3. Diesel emissions from drilling pads

4. Gas processing at compressor stations

5. Spilled fluids

6. Storage tank emissions

A major source of air pollution is certainly all the activity around well drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completions of shale gas wells:

1. Fracking ,luid chemicals2. Drilling ,luid chemicals3. Naturally occurring chemicals (in shale formations) -‐ benzene, arsenic -‐ heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, chromium, lead) -‐ radioactive elements (e.g. barium, lead-‐210, radium, strontium, thorium, uranium), which are signatures of this shale rock geology.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (2011). NYS SGEIS revised draft, Section 5 -‐ http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/75370.html

Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives (2011). "Chemicals used in Hydraulic Fracturing", April 2011 -‐ http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?q=news/committee-‐democrats-‐release-‐new-‐report-‐detailing-‐hydraulic-‐fracturing-‐products

However, the processing and distribution of the natural gas is another major source of air pollution. Processing plants and pipelines often contain large numbers of pneumatic valves. These valves are under pressure and leak small quantities of natural gas.

“Although some processing is done at the wellhead, gas processing plants miles away further remove any liquids from the gas to create pipeline quality gas. Gathering systems may need ?ield compressors to move gas to processing plants, and larger compressor stations generally are sited every 40 to 100 miles to move gas along the pipeline and generally contain some type of liquid separator.”

Text

Source: based on [SUMI 2008])

Source: based on [SUMI 2008])

Residents near fracking operations have documented strong petroleum-‐like odours, diesel and chemical smells. These smells are coming from the toxic air pollution from shale gas operations on the well site, 1000s of truck trips to and from each well, and the gas distribution system moving the gas through the pipelines.

Fredericton is in a valley and will become a sink for heavier-‐than-‐air toxins that travel long distances from shale gas wells and compressor stations.

Summer winds are longwise SSW to NNE. Winter winds are longwise ENE to SSW. These are the two most predominant winds in NB. “Smog lines” can travel for up to 300 kilometres.

http://www.gnb.ca/0078/Promo/NaturalGas/ObtainingOilGasRights-e.asp

The Department of Natural Resources map showing shale gas test drilling licenses speaks for itself. These licenses cover a 10-kilometre radius around Fredericton, and includes the UNB Woodlot and most other areas of the City of Fredericton and surrounding communities.

http://www.gnb.ca/0078/Promo/NaturalGas/ObtainingOilGasRights-e.asp

UNB Woodlot

2. Toxic chemicals identified to date in this air pollution

Volatile Organic Compounds

1. Benzene, a known carcinogen

2. Acryloniltrile, a human carcinogen

3. Methylene chloride, a human carcinogen

4. Ethylbenzene, a human carcinogen

5. Xylene

Volatile Organic Compounds

6. 4-ethyltoluene

7. 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene

8. 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene

9. Ethylbenzene, a human carcinogen

Other Toxic Compounds in the Air

1. Carbon disulfide, neurotoxins

2. Naphthalene, a blood poison

3. Pyridines, potential carcinogens

Combustion products & ground-level ozone

1. Carbon monoxide

2. Nitrogen oxide

3. Sulfur dioxide

4. Volatile organic compounds (e.g. PAHs, BTEX, formaldehyde)

5. Small airborne particulates

6. Metals

Greenhouse Gases - Methane & CO2

1. Methane, 20X more potent GHG than CO2

2. Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Each well fracked equates to 1000s of truck trips to and from the well.

“Each well = 1,800 to 2,600 truck drive-bys8 well pad site = 14,400 to 20,800 drive-bys”

YouTube: FRACK TRUCK CONVOYS (Frack truck impacts on towns and roads, and includes DEC estimates of truckloads per well,

Jeffrey Reynolds and James “Chip” Northrup, uploaded February 03, 2011)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F93rDR3AOhw&feature=share

Air Pollution from Trucks is one of worst impacts of shale gas development:

Ground-level ozone is a primary ingredient of smog. Higher temperatures increase ground-level ozone production, thus climate change will intensify urban smog.

“In addition to the land and water contamination issues, at each stage of production and delivery, tons of toxic volatile compounds, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, etc., and fugitive natural gas (methane), escape and mix with nitrogen oxides from the exhaust of diesel-driven, mobile and stationary equipment to produce ground-level ozone. Ozone combined with particulate matter less than 2.5 microns produces smog (haze). Gas Eield produced ozone has created a serious air pollution problem similar to that found in large urban areas, and can spread up to 200 miles beyond the immediate region where gas is being produced. Ozone not only causes irreversible damage to the lungs, it is equally damaging to conifers, aspen, forage, alfalfa, and other crops commonly grown in the West.”

Oil and gas operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth region emit more smog-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than all cars, trucks, buses and other mobile sources in the area combined.

Smog from oil and gas operations is now major source in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas:

Dallas-‐Fort Worth Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-‐hour Ozone Standard Nonattainment Area

Project Number 2010-‐022-‐SIP-‐NRTexas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

December 7, 2011http://m.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/sip/dfw_revisions.html

3. Emerging health effects from this air pollution

Only recently have New Brunswickers learned about the serious threats to our air quality from shale gas development. In the Fall of 2011, three key speakers came to our province: -‐ Dr. Anthony Ingraffea from Cornell University spoke in Moncton and Fredericton; -‐ Calvin Tillman (former Mayor of Dish, Texas) spoke in Memramcook, Richibucto, Fredericton, Minto/Chipman, and Woodstock; and -‐ Jessica Ernst (Rosebud, Alberta) spoke in Memramcook.

You can Google their presentations on YouTube.

They painted a picture of a very new technology and industry that is under-‐regulated, contaminates air and water with human carcinogens, industrializes our farming, hunting & nishing areas, ruins our roads and bridges, and does not deliver on promised local jobs.

In fact, their concerns are supported by the new assessment by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. Their second and ninal 90-‐day draft report was issued by a federal panel on shale gas drilling:

"current regulations are potentially insufficient to protect health and the environment."

REPORT -‐ SHALE GAS PRODUCTION SUBCOMMITTEE 2nd 90-‐DAY REPORT (issued by a federal panel on shale gas drilling,

Secretary of Energy, Nov. 18, 2011)http://www.shalegas.energy.gov/resources/111011_90_day_report.pdf

The Office of the U.S. Secretary of Energy issued this report on November 18, 2011:

Air pollution from truck trafnic and diesel generators can cause impaired lung function, shortness of breath, wheezing, asthma attacks and premature death. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable.

"Ozone can travel up to 200 miles beyond the gas production area (Colborn, et al., 2011). While not a

direct carcinogen, ozone exposure is strongly associated with premature death and is believed to

promote the development of metastases, thus making cancer more lethal (Breslin, 1995; Fann et al., 2011).

Exposure to traffic exhaust and petroleum fumes further potentiates tumor formation and increase

cancer risk (Hanas et al., 2010)."

Ozone is associated with premature death and believed to promote cancer

Acute symptoms of residents associated with odors from shale gas operations

1. Severe headaches

2. Nosebleeds, persistent and heavy, much different than the average nose bleed a human carcinogen

3. Full body rash

"Childhood cancers/leukemia births are closely associated with high atmospheric emissions from combustion processes, mainly oil based, and from

organic evaporation. Demonstrated associations with 1,3 - butadiene, dioxins, and benz(a)pyrene, but

possibly others as well, are probably causal. Such toxic emissions may account for a majority of all

cases. " Knox, E.G. 2005. “Childhood cancers and atmospheric carcinogens,” Journal of

Epidemio. Community Health. 2005:59:101-105. p. 101, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1733004/

Childhood cancers linked to air pollution from combustion processes

“Fracking pollutes the air with known and suspected human carcinogens. Air pollutants from fracking take the form of diesel exhaust (from trucks, pumps, condensers,

earthmoving machines, and other heavy equipment) along with volatile organic compounds, including benzene

(released from the wellheads themselves) and formaldehyde (produced by compressor station engines). Exposure to

these air pollutants have been demonstrably linked to lung, breast, and bladder cancers (Brody et al., 2007; Liu et al.,

2009).

Lung, breast, and bladder cancers linked to air pollution

We now know that shale gas development blankets distant communities downwind with known carcinogens

& asthma-causing smog.

Childhood asthma associated with shale gas sites in the U.S. State of Texas

ITexas hospital records in six counties with some of the heaviest shale gas drilling, including the Barnett Shale region, found that "children in the community ages 6-9 are three times more likely to have asthma than the average for that age group in the State of Texas."

Baylor University’s results published in 2009 showed that childhood asthma rates in the Tarrant County area of the Barnett Shale were more than double the national average.

Cancers associated with oil and gas sites in the U.S. State of Colorado

“Using US EPA risk assessment tools to examine carcinogenic effects of air quality at oil and gas sites, researchers in Colorado found excess cancer risks from air pollution alone (from 5 to 58 additional cancers per million). At 86 percent of these sites, the human carcinogen benzene was found at hazardous levels. Airborne concentrations of other carcinogens were also elevated (Witter et al., 2008).”

One canary in the coalmine for shale gas development may be breast cancer. Although the breast cancer rate is dropping in many parts of Texas, the incidence of breast cancer is rising in parts where the shale gas industry exists.

“According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's 2010 inventory of gas production equipment in the 24 counties of the Barnett Shale, the same six counties with rising rates of invasive breast cancer also have the highest count of compressors, separators, tanks and other above-ground points of emissions.”

Looking at the map of 254 counties in Texas, “You will notice that the counties in which you have heavier drilling activity perfectly matches the jump in breast cancer rates.”

http://www.damascuscitizensforsustainability.org/2011/09/breast-cancer-rates-jump-in-the-barnett-shale/Breast Cancer Rates Jump in the Barnett Shale

September 3, 2011

And new research out in March 2012 shows that a dose response which is signinicant because it is associated with a high correlation of the health effect to the source of the toxin. Their report includes health data of those living about a half-‐mile from the shale gas wells, together with air pollution data collected for three (3) years:

"We also calculated higher cancer risks for residents living nearer to the wells as compared to those residing

further [away]. Benzene is the major contributor to lifetime excess cancer risk from both scenarios."

(in an upcoming edition of Science of the Total Environment, Dr. Lisa McKenzie, lead author)

http://ecowatch.org/2012/study-‐shows-‐air-‐emissions-‐near-‐fracking-‐sites-‐may-‐impact-‐health/

Colorado School of Public Health released results from their 3-year study on March 19, 2012:

The ninal and the single-‐largest health threat is climate change. Our atmosphere is now moving past 400ppm and our children will see CO2 levels move past 550ppm by 2050. The latest climate models (March 2012) predict that temperatures could rise by 3*C by 2050, and 6*C by 2010, based on mid-‐range emissions.

For the future health and security of our children and grandchildren, the data from climate change scientists, including NASA’s James Hansen, prove that we must leave coal and unconventionals such as shale gas in the ground.

“When I look at this data, the trend is perfectly in line with a temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius [11°F], which would have devastating consequences for the planet.”

“Even school children know this will have catastrophic implications for all of us.”

Faith Birol, Chief Economist for the International Energy Agency (IEA):

4. Obligations to the public - “precautionary principle”

Public health and safety

“Home Rules”

Two higher court decisions in the United States have recently ruled that municipalities have the right to ban high-‐impact industrial activity such as shale gas operations.

To date, 154 municipalities in New York State have passed a ban or moratorium(or in the process of doing so). 90% of these cities and towns are located on the Marcellus Shale.

The Physicians, Scientists and Engineers for Healthy Energy recommended a U.S. national moratorium on fracking until human health impacts are researched.

Physicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energyhttp://www.psehealthyenergy.org/

Fundamental obligations to follow the precautionary principle

“36(2.1) A councillor of a municipality shall (a) consider the welfare and interests of the entire municipality when making decisions

(b) bring to the attention of council matters thatmay promote the welfare or interests of the municipality,” (page 65)

http://www.canlii.org/en/nb/laws/stat/rsnb-‐1973-‐c-‐m-‐22/

latest/rsnb-‐1973-‐c-‐m-‐22.html

Under the Municipalities Act, it clearly states their obligations:

- duty to protect citizens from unnecessary & easily avoidable health risks

- duty to protect our air from contamination

- duty to start a monitoring program for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Fredericton

Fundamental obligations to protect public health and safety

5. Recommendations:

Ban Shale Gas Development in UNB Woodlot and City; Resolution for a Ban to UMNB and Province;

Implement Air Monitoring of VOCs.

Recommendations:

To ask our individual Councillors for a public debate and vote by Council:

(1) to ban high-impact industrial land use, including shale gas development, from the Fredericton city limits;

Cities in New Brunswick have the power to regulate their own zoning by-law. Each city have their own unique land use controls, which makes sense when you consider that cities actually look different from one another. The Province of New Brunswick does not take a cookie-cutter approach to controlling land use. My own house is in a residential block zoned 'TP-3A', a zone unique to Fredericton and not found elsewhere in New Brunswick.

Fredericton updated its own Municipal Plan in 2007 and this plan was approved by the Province. Under the Community Planning Act, our city has the autonomy to make their plan work using various land use instruments. In addition to the Zoning By-law, Fredericton has control over its subdivision by-law, building by-law, deferred widening by-law, & controlled access street by-law.

Recommendations:



(2) to adopt resolution asking the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB), and the Provincial Government, to ban shale gas development from the province; and

Recommendations:



(3) to implement air monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Fredericton.

(2) to adopt resolution asking the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB), and the Provincial Government, to ban shale gas development from the province; and

BASELINE & ONGOING AIR MONITORING OF VOCs

Sampling: VOCs are monitored using a 6 L stainless steel electropolished (SUMMA) canister. Air samples are collected by drawing air into the canister at a constant rate (10 to 15 mL/min) for a 24-‐hour time period.

Analysis: The SUMMA canisters are sent to Ottawa and tested for over 150 hydrocarbon species (e.g. Environment Canada Environmental Technology Centre).

6. Alternative economic development strategies

Recommendations:These initiatives will create substantially more long-term jobs AND improve our quality of life:

1. Invest in a strong education system (early learning to trade colleges and universities). 2. Establish Low-‐Carbon Infrastructure Investment Funds owned by Pension Funds. 3. Community forest ownership. 4. Implement policies for the manufacture of community value-‐added forest products for NBer's first (e.g. wood fibre insulation for energy-‐saving building retrofits and construction).5. Implement a strong industrialization policy across all levels of government. 6. Implement community economic development investment funds (e.g. CEDIFs). 7. Reverse personal and corporate tax reductions. 8. Establish ninancial instruments for renewable energy in cities. 9. Develop an international tourist industry -‐ biking, cross-‐county skiing, river tours etc. Make New Brunswick the “Costa Rica of the North”.10. Implement strong policies to encourage local food production.11. Phase out subsidies to oil and gas companies. 12. Implement a modest carbon tax (e.g. $10/ton CO2).

Some recommended presentations:

(1) Jan. 10 Statehouse Fracking Protest Part 2.mov (powerful & moving 10-‐minute speech by Ohio woman on shale gas and her serious health problems)http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6hB33D105ak

(2) Dr Anthony Ingraffea in Moncton NB Part 1 of 3 (Dr. Ingraffea is an engineering professor/researcher at Cornell University, one of the founding fathers of hydraulic fracturing technology, and an expert on well casing integrity.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7koag4QqE&feature=related

(3) "Finishing" a gas well in Dimock, PA (huge air emissions coming from well) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRkEmyofXwM&list=UU7Eph33czawYR2ZKZrexS0Q&index=11&feature=plcp

(4) Be... Without Water? (New Brunswick documentary about how local communities are treated by gas industry, 42:58)http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=aK0NMTMXHSw

Some important quotations:“If you were looking for a way to poison the drinking water supply, you couldn’t ?ind a more chillingly effective and thorough method of doing so than with Hydraulic Fracturing” (Dr. Paul Hetzler, NY Dept of Environmental Conservation)

“We can’t afford multi-million-dollar water pollution cleanups or earthquakes that could pose risks to homes and health.” (Dusty Horwitt, Senior Counsel and chief natural resources analyst at Environmental Working Group, U.S. Geological Survey, in April 2012 study, published by the Seismological Society of America)

"The situation we're creating for young people and future generations is that we're handing them a climate system which is potentially out of their control. We're in an emergency: you can see what's on the horizon over the next few decades with the effects it will have on ecosystems, sea level and species extinction." (Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, April 2012 lecture at Edinburgh International Science Festival )

Friends of the UNB Woodlotunbwoodlot.org

Brochures & Form Letters:

http://www.slideshare.net/friendsoftheunbwoodlot(or simply Google ‘slideshare’ ‘unb woodlot’)

Contact Information:

E-mail: [email protected]

Website maintained by Fredericton Chapter of Conservation Council: www.unbwoodlot.org

Facebook: "I don't want the UNB woodlot turned into Big-Box Strip Malls"

YouTube: search for "UNB Woodlot"

Website: www.smartgrowthUNB.ca

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