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Caron-Beaudoin É, Akpo H, Doyle-Waters MM, Ronald LA, Friesen M, Takaro T, Leven K, Meyer U, McGregor MJ. The human health effects of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) chemical exposures: a scoping review of the toxicological literature. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2024; 0:reveh-2024-0076. [PMID: 38985132 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2024-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Many chemicals associated with unconventional oil and natural gas (UOG) are known toxicants, leading to health concerns about the effects of UOG. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review of the toxicological literature to assess the effects of UOG chemical exposures in models relevant to human health. We searched databases for primary research studies published in English or French between January 2000 and June 2023 on UOG-related toxicology studies. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts to determine inclusion. Seventeen studies met our study inclusion criteria. Nine studies used solely in vitro models, while six conducted their investigation solely in animal models. Two studies incorporated both types of models. Most studies used real water samples impacted by UOG or lab-made mixtures of UOG chemicals to expose their models. Most in vitro models used human cells in monocultures, while all animal studies were conducted in rodents. All studies detected significant deleterious effects associated with exposure to UOG chemicals or samples, including endocrine disruption, carcinogenicity, behavioral changes and metabolic alterations. Given the plausibility of causal relationships between UOG chemicals and adverse health outcomes highlighted in this review, future risk assessment studies should focus on measuring exposure to UOG chemicals in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, 33530 University of Toronto Scarborough , Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, 33530 University of Toronto Scarborough , Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hélène Akpo
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mary M Doyle-Waters
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lisa A Ronald
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, British Columbia, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael Friesen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tim Takaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Ulrike Meyer
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Margaret J McGregor
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
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González DJ, Morello-Frosch R, Liu Z, Willis MD, Feng Y, McKenzie LM, Steiger BB, Wang J, Deziel NC, Casey JA. Wildfires increasingly threaten oil and gas wells in the western United States with disproportionate impacts on marginalized populations. ONE EARTH (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 7:1044-1055. [PMID: 39036466 PMCID: PMC11259100 DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2024.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The western United States is home to most of the nation's oil and gas production and, increasingly, wildfires. We examined historical threats of wildfires for oil and gas wells, the extent to which wildfires are projected to threaten wells as climate change progresses, and exposure of human populations to these wells. From 1984-2019, we found that cumulatively 102,882 wells were located in wildfire burn areas, and 348,853 people were exposed (resided ≤ 1 km). During this period, we observed a five-fold increase in the number of wells in wildfire burn areas and a doubling of the population within 1 km of these wells. These trends are projected to increase by late century, likely threatening human health. Approximately 2.9 million people reside within 1 km of wells in areas with high wildfire risk, and Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American people have disproportionately high exposure to wildfire-threatened wells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
- Lead contact
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Zehua Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mary D. Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Yan Feng
- Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, United States of America
| | - Lisa M. McKenzie
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Benjamin B. Steiger
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jiali Wang
- Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, United States of America
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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McKenzie LM, Allshouse WB, Abrahams B, Tompkins C. Oil and gas development exposure and atrial fibrillation exacerbation: a retrospective study of atrial fibrillation exacerbation using Colorado's all payer claims dataset. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 4:1379271. [PMID: 38962693 PMCID: PMC11220195 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2024.1379271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Emerging risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence and episodes (exacerbation), the most common and clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia, include air and noise pollution, both of which are emitted during oil and natural gas (O&G) well site development. Methods We evaluated AF exacerbation risk and proximity to O&G well site development by employing a novel data source and interrupted time-series design. We retrospectively followed 1,197 AF patients living within 1-mile of an O&G well site (at-risk of exposure) and 9,764 patients living >2 miles from any O&G well site (unexposed) for AF claims in Colorado's All Payer Claims Dataset before, during, and after O&G well site development. We calculated AF exacerbation risk with multi-failure survival analysis. Results The analysis of the total study population does not provide strong evidence of an association between AF exacerbation and proximity to O&G wells sites during (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.22) or after (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.88, 1.16) development. However, AF exacerbation risk differed by patient age and sex. In patients >80 years living within 0.39 miles (2,059 feet) of O&G well site development, AF exacerbation risk increased by 83% (HR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.66) and emergency room visits for an AF event doubled (HR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.50, 4.36) during development, with risk increasing with proximity. In female patients living within 0.39 miles of O&G well site development, AF exacerbation risk increased by 56% percent (95% CI: 1.13, 2.15) during development. AF exacerbation risk did not persist past the well development period. We did not observe increased AF exacerbation risk in younger or male patients. Discussion The prospect that proximity to O&G well site development, a significant noise and air pollution source, may increase AF exacerbation risk in older and female AF patients requires attention. These findings support appropriate patient education to help mitigate risk and development of mitigation strategies and regulations to protect the health of populations in O&G development regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. McKenzie
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - William B. Allshouse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Barbara Abrahams
- Department of Cardiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Christine Tompkins
- Division of Electrophysiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Aker AM, Friesen M, Ronald LA, Doyle-Waters MM, Takaro TK, Thickson W, Levin K, Meyer U, Caron-Beaudoin E, McGregor MJ. The human health effects of unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD): A scoping review of epidemiologic studies. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2024; 115:446-467. [PMID: 38457120 PMCID: PMC11133301 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-024-00860-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD, sometimes termed "fracking" or "hydraulic fracturing") is an industrial process to extract methane gas and/or oil deposits. Many chemicals used in UOGD have known adverse human health effects. Canada is a major producer of UOGD-derived gas with wells frequently located in and around rural and Indigenous communities. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review to identify the extent of research evidence assessing UOGD exposure-related health impacts, with an additional focus on Canadian studies. METHODS We included English- or French-language peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies (January 2000-December 2022) which measured exposure to UOGD chemicals directly or by proxy, and where health outcomes were plausibly caused by UOGD-related chemical exposure. Results synthesis was descriptive with results ordered by outcome and hierarchy of methodological approach. SYNTHESIS We identified 52 studies from nine jurisdictions. Only two were set in Canada. A majority (n = 27) used retrospective cohort and case-control designs. Almost half (n = 24) focused on birth outcomes, with a majority (n = 22) reporting one or more significant adverse associations of UOGD exposure with: low birthweight; small for gestational age; preterm birth; and one or more birth defects. Other studies identified adverse impacts including asthma (n = 7), respiratory (n = 13), cardiovascular (n = 6), childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (n = 2), and all-cause mortality (n = 4). CONCLUSION There is a growing body of research, across different jurisdictions, reporting associations of UOGD with adverse health outcomes. Despite the rapid growth of UOGD, which is often located in remote, rural, and Indigenous communities, Canadian research on its effects on human health is remarkably sparse. There is a pressing need for additional evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira M Aker
- Université Laval, CHU de Quebec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Friesen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa A Ronald
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mary M Doyle-Waters
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tim K Takaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Willow Thickson
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Karen Levin
- Emerald Environmental Consulting, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Ulrike Meyer
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Elyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Margaret J McGregor
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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Willis MD, Cushing LJ, Buonocore JJ, Deziel NC, Casey JA. It's electric! An environmental equity perspective on the lifecycle of our energy sources. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e246. [PMID: 37064423 PMCID: PMC10097546 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy policy decisions are driven primarily by economic and reliability considerations, with limited consideration given to public health, environmental justice, and climate change. Moreover, epidemiologic studies relevant for public policy typically focus on immediate public health implications of activities related to energy procurement and generation, considering less so health equity or the longer-term health consequences of climate change attributable to an energy source. A more integrated, collective consideration of these three domains can provide more robust guidance to policymakers, communities, and individuals. Here, we illustrate how these domains can be evaluated with respect to natural gas as an energy source. Our process began with a detailed overview of all relevant steps in the process of extracting, producing, and consuming natural gas. We synthesized existing epidemiologic and complementary evidence of how these processes impact public health, environmental justice, and climate change. We conclude that, in certain domains, natural gas looks beneficial (e.g., economically for some), but when considered more expansively, through the life cycle of natural gas and joint lenses of public health, environmental justice, and climate change, natural gas is rendered an undesirable energy source in the United States. A holistic climate health equity framework can inform how we value and deploy different energy sources in the service of public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary D. Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Lara J. Cushing
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jonathan J. Buonocore
- Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington
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Morello-Frosch R, Obasogie OK. The Climate Gap and the Color Line - Racial Health Inequities and Climate Change. N Engl J Med 2023; 388:943-949. [PMID: 36884328 DOI: 10.1056/nejmsb2213250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Morello-Frosch
- From the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management and the Divisions of Environmental Health Sciences and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health (R.M.-F.), and the School of Law and Joint Medical Program, School of Public Health (O.K.O.), University of California, Berkeley
| | - Osagie K Obasogie
- From the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management and the Divisions of Environmental Health Sciences and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health (R.M.-F.), and the School of Law and Joint Medical Program, School of Public Health (O.K.O.), University of California, Berkeley
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7
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Trickey KS, Chen Z, Sanghavi P. Hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease among older adults living near unconventional natural gas development: a difference-in-differences analysis. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e187-e196. [PMID: 36889860 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During 2008-15, the Marcellus shale region of the US state of Pennsylvania experienced a boom in unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) or "fracking". However, despite much public debate, little is known about the effects of UNGD on population health in local communities. Among other mechanisms, air pollution from UNGD might affect individuals living nearby through cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and older adults could be particularly susceptible. METHODS To study the health impacts of Pennsylvania's fracking boom, we exploited the ban on UNGD in neighbouring New York state. Using 2002-15 Medicare claims, we conducted difference-in-differences analyses over multiple timepoints to estimate the risk of living near UNGD for hospitalisation with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and stroke among older adults (aged ≥65 years). FINDINGS Pennsylvania ZIP codes that started UNGD in 2008-10 were associated with more hospitalisations for cardiovascular diseases in 2012-15 than would be expected in the absence of UNGD. Specifically, in 2015, we estimated an additional 11·8, 21·6, and 20·4 hospitalisations for AMI, heart failure, and ischaemic heart disease, respectively, per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries. Hospitalisations increased even as UNGD growth slowed. Results were robust in sensitivity analyses. INTERPRETATION Older adults living near UNGD could be at high risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes. Mitigation policies for existing UNGD might be needed to address current and future health risks. Future consideration of UNGD should prioritise local population health. FUNDING University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Trickey
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zihan Chen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Prachi Sanghavi
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Weisner ML, Allshouse WB, Erjavac BW, Valdez AP, Vahling JL, McKenzie LM. Health Symptoms and Proximity to Active Multi-Well Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Sites in the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2634. [PMID: 36767999 PMCID: PMC9915243 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
City and County of Broomfield (CCOB) residents reported over 500 health concerns between January 2020 and December 2021. Our objective was to determine if CCOB residents living within 1 mile of multi-well unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) sites reported more frequent health symptoms than residents living > 2 miles away. We invited 3993 randomly selected households to participate in a health survey. We applied linear regression to test associations between distance to UOGD and summed Likert scores for health symptom categories. After covariate adjustment, respondents living within 1 mile of one of CCOB's UOGD sites tended to report higher frequencies of upper respiratory, lower respiratory, gastrointestinal and acute symptoms than respondents living more than 2 miles from the sites, with the largest differences for upper respiratory and acute symptoms. For upper respiratory and acute symptoms, scores differed by 0.81 (95% CI: 0.06, 2.58) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.004, 1.99), respectively. Scores for adults most concerned about air pollution, noise and odors trended higher within 1 mile for all symptom categories, while scores among adults least concerned trended lower. Scores trended higher for lower respiratory, gastrointestinal and acute symptoms in children living within 2 miles of UOGD, after covariate adjustment. We did not observe any difference in the frequency of symptoms reported in unadjusted results. Additional study is necessary to understand relationships between proximity to UOGD and health symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan L. Weisner
- Department of Public Health and Environment, City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield, CO 80020, USA
| | - William B. Allshouse
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Benjamin W. Erjavac
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Andrew P. Valdez
- Department of Strategic Initiatives, City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield, CO 80020, USA
| | - Jason L. Vahling
- Department of Public Health and Environment, City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield, CO 80020, USA
| | - Lisa M. McKenzie
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Gonzalez DJX, Nardone A, Nguyen AV, Morello-Frosch R, Casey JA. Historic redlining and the siting of oil and gas wells in the United States. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:76-83. [PMID: 35418707 PMCID: PMC9556657 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of active or inactive (i.e., postproduction) oil and gas wells in neighborhoods may contribute to ongoing pollution. Racially discriminatory neighborhood security maps developed by the Home-Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s may contribute to environmental exposure disparities. OBJECTIVE To determine whether receiving worse HOLC grades was associated with exposure to more oil and gas wells. METHODS We assessed exposure to oil and gas wells among HOLC-graded neighborhoods in 33 cities from 13 states where urban oil and gas wells were drilled and operated. Among the 17 cities for which 1940 census data were available, we used propensity score restriction and matching to compare well exposure neighborhoods that were similar on observed 1940 sociodemographic characteristics but that received different grades. RESULTS Across all included cities, redlined D-graded neighborhoods had 12.2 ± 27.2 wells km-2, nearly twice the density in neighborhoods graded A (6.8 ± 8.9 wells km-2). In propensity score restricted and matched analyses, redlined neighborhoods had 2.0 (1.3, 2.7) more wells than comparable neighborhoods with a better grade. SIGNIFICANCE Our study adds to the evidence that structural racism in federal policy is associated with the disproportionate siting of oil and gas wells in marginalized neighborhoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J X Gonzalez
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony Nardone
- University of California (UC) Berkeley-UC San Francisco (UCSF) Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley School of Public Health and UCSF School of Medicine, Berkeley and San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew V Nguyen
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joan A Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Gorski-Steiner I, Bandeen-Roche K, Volk HE, O'Dell S, Schwartz BS. The association of unconventional natural gas development with diagnosis and treatment of internalizing disorders among adolescents in Pennsylvania using electronic health records. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113167. [PMID: 35341757 PMCID: PMC9233008 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) introduces physical and psychosocial hazards into communities, which could contribute to psychosocial stress in adolescents and an increased risk of internalizing disorders, common and impactful health outcomes. OBJECTIVES To evaluate associations between a 180-day composite UNGD activity metric and new onset of internalizing disorders, overall and separately for anxiety and depressive disorders, and effect modification by sex. METHODS We used a nested case-control design from 2008 to 2016 in 38 Pennsylvania counties using electronic health records from adolescent Geisinger subjects. Cases were defined by at least two diagnoses or medication orders indicating new onset of an internalizing disorder, and controls frequency-matched 4:1 on age, sex, and year. To evaluate associations, we used generalized estimating equations, with logit link, robust standard errors, and an exchangeable correlation structure within community. RESULTS We identified 7,974 adolescents (65.9% female, mean age 15.0 years) with new onset internalizing disorders. There were no associations when we used data from the entire study period. When restricted to years with higher UNGD activity (2010-2016), comparing the highest to lowest quartile, UNGD activity was associated (odds ratio [95% confidence level]) with new onset internalizing disorders (1.15 [1.06, 1.25]). Associations were slightly stronger for depressive disorders. Associations were only present in females (p = 0.009). DISCUSSION This is the first epidemiologic study of UNGD in relation to adolescent mental health, an important health outcome in a potentially susceptible group to the environmental and community impacts of UNGD. UNGD activity was associated with new onset internalizing disorders in females in this large sample in an area of active UNGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Gorski-Steiner
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Karen Bandeen-Roche
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Heather E Volk
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean O'Dell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Geisinger, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Brian S Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, Geisinger, Danville, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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11
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Deziel NC, Clark CJ, Casey JA, Bell ML, Plata DL, Saiers JE. Assessing Exposure to Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Strengths, Challenges, and Implications for Epidemiologic Research. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:436-450. [PMID: 35522388 PMCID: PMC9363472 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00358-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epidemiologic studies have observed elevated health risks in populations living near unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). In this narrative review, we discuss strengths and limitations of UOG exposure assessment approaches used in or available for epidemiologic studies, emphasizing studies of children's health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Exposure assessment challenges include (1) numerous potential stressors with distinct spatiotemporal patterns, (2) critical exposure windows that cover long periods and occur in the past, and (3) limited existing monitoring data coupled with the resource-intensiveness of collecting new exposure measurements to capture spatiotemporal variation. All epidemiologic studies used proximity-based models for exposure assessment as opposed to surveys, biomonitoring, or environmental measurements. Nearly all studies used aggregate (rather than pathway-specific) models, which are useful surrogates for the complex mix of potential hazards. Simple and less-specific exposure assessment approaches have benefits in terms of scalability, interpretability, and relevance to specific policy initiatives such as set-back distances. More detailed and specific models and metrics, including dispersion methods and stressor-specific models, could reduce exposure misclassification, illuminate underlying exposure pathways, and inform emission control and exposure mitigation strategies. While less practical in a large population, collection of multi-media environmental and biological exposure measurements would be feasible in cohort subsets. Such assessments are well-suited to provide insights into the presence and magnitude of exposures to UOG-related stressors in relation to spatial surrogates and to better elucidate the plausibility of observed effects in both children and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Deziel
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Cassandra J. Clark
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 630 West 168th Street, Room 16-416, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Michelle L. Bell
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
| | - Desiree L. Plata
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - James E. Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
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Malin SA, Mayer A, Roeser K. Collective Neoliberalism and Market Fundamentalism: Why Concerned People Acquiesce to the Oil and Gas Industry. SOCIOLOGICAL FORUM (RANDOLPH, N.J.) 2022; 37:395-420. [PMID: 36035502 PMCID: PMC9401207 DOI: 10.1111/socf.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In the US, unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production has elicited strong public response. As production occurs amid residential and commercial spaces, environmental, social, economic, regulatory, and mental health impacts have been documented across locations. Some community groups have mobilized against this activity, while others have not. We examine how and why UOG production becomes normalized despite its disruptions and risks. Through years of fieldwork, we have observed limited organized mobilization. Even activists express hesitation to demand transformative changes or complete stoppage of UOG production. Yet the drivers of these dynamics need to be better understood. We argue that these passive 'sites of acceptance' emerge through a two-part influence of neoliberalism. First, a mosaic of ideas and policy measures privileging de-regulation and free markets manifests itself in a unique discourse we call collective neoliberalism. Second, neoliberalism as a system of governance creates a fractured, devolved regulatory environment ripe for regulatory capture and lacking sufficient resources. This, in turn, can discourage local efforts to limit or regulate UOG production as regulators seem unresponsive, poorly resourced, or tacitly more supportive of industry than the public. We use ethnographic data collected amid dense, widespread UOG production in Colorado to illustrate these patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Malin
- Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, B234 Clark Building, Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
| | - Adam Mayer
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, 218 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road East Lansing, MI 48823
| | - Kassandra Roeser
- 450 Jane Stanford Way Building 120, Room 160. Stanford, CA 94305
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13
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Proximity and density of unconventional natural gas wells and mental illness and substance use among pregnant individuals: An exploratory study in Canada. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 242:113962. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.113962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Bushong A, McKeon T, Regina Boland M, Field J. Publicly available data reveals association between asthma hospitalizations and unconventional natural gas development in Pennsylvania. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265513. [PMID: 35358226 PMCID: PMC8970380 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) has rapidly grown throughout Pennsylvania. UNGD extracts natural gas using a relatively new method known as hydraulic fracturing (HF). Here we addressed the association of HF with asthma Hospitalization Admission Rates (HAR) using publicly available data. Using public county-level data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA-DOH) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the years 2001-2014, we constructed regression models to study the previously observed association between asthma exacerbation and HF. After considering multicollinearity, county-level demographics and area-level covariables were included to account for known asthma risk factors. We found a significant positive association between the asthma HAR and annual well density for all the counties in the state (3% increase in HAR attributable to HF, p<0.001). For a sensitivity analysis, we excluded urban counties (urban counties have higher asthma exacerbations) and focused on rural counties for the years 2005-2014 and found a significant association (3.31% increase in HAR attributable to HF in rural counties, p<0.001). An even stronger association was found between asthma hospitalization admission rates (HAR) and PM2.5 levels (7.52% increase in HAR attributable to PM2.5, p<0.001). As expected, asthma HAR was significantly higher in urban compared to rural counties and showed a significant racial disparity. We conclude that publicly available data at the county-level supports an association between an increase in asthma HAR and UNGD in rural counties in Pennsylvania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bushong
- Biology Program, Centre College, Danville, KY, United States of America
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Thomas McKeon
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Mary Regina Boland
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Jeffrey Field
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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15
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Gonzalez DJX, Francis CK, Shaw GM, Cullen MR, Baiocchi M, Burke M. Upstream oil and gas production and ambient air pollution in California. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150298. [PMID: 34844318 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies have found that residential proximity to upstream oil and gas production is associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. Emissions of ambient air pollutants from oil and gas wells in the preproduction and production stages have been proposed as conferring risk of adverse health effects, but the extent of air pollutant emissions and resulting nearby pollution concentrations from wells is not clear. OBJECTIVES We examined the effects of upstream oil and gas preproduction (count of drilling sites) and production (total volume of oil and gas) activities on concentrations of five ambient air pollutants in California. METHODS We obtained data on approximately 1 million daily observations from 314 monitors in the EPA Air Quality System, 2006-2019, including daily concentrations of five routinely monitored ambient air pollutants: PM2.5, CO, NO2, O3, and VOCs. We obtained data on preproduction and production operations from Enverus and the California Geographic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) for all wells in the state. For each monitor and each day, we assessed exposure to upwind preproduction wells and total oil and gas production volume within 10 km. We used a panel regression approach in the analysis and fit adjusted fixed effects linear regression models for each pollutant, controlling for geographic, seasonal, temporal, and meteorological factors. RESULTS We observed higher concentrations of PM2.5 and CO at monitors within 3 km of preproduction wells, NO2 at monitors at 1-2 km, and O3 at 2-4 km from the wells. Monitors with proximity to increased production volume observed higher concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and VOCs within 1 km and higher O3 concentrations at 1-2 km. Results were robust to sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION Adjusting for geographic, meteorological, seasonal, and time-trending factors, we observed higher concentrations of ambient air pollutants at air quality monitors in proximity to preproduction wells within 4 km and producing wells within 2 km.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J X Gonzalez
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Christina K Francis
- Program in Environmental Science and Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gary M Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mark R Cullen
- Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences, USA
| | - Michael Baiocchi
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marshall Burke
- Department of Earth System Science, School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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