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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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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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Johnston JE, Quist AJL, Navarro S, Farzan SF, Shamasunder B. Cardiovascular health and proximity to urban oil drilling in Los Angeles, California. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:505-511. [PMID: 37553411 PMCID: PMC10850428 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00589-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although ~18 million people live within a mile from active oil and gas development (OGD) sites in the United States, epidemiological research on how OGD affects the health of nearby urban residents is sparse. Thousands of OGD sites are spread across Los Angeles (LA) County, California, home to the largest urban oil production in the country. Air pollution and noise from OGD may contribute to cardiovascular morbidity. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between proximity to OGD and blood pressure in a diverse cohort of residents in LA. METHODS We recruited residents in South LA who lived <1 km from an OGD site. We collected three blood pressure measurements for each participant and used the second and third measurements to calculate averages for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) separately. We conducted multivariable linear regression to examine the relationship between distance to OGD sites and continuous SBP and DBP, adjusting for BMI, smoking status, distance to freeway, sex, age, and use of antihypertension medications, with a random effect for household. We examined effect measure modification by BMI category and smoking category. RESULTS Among the 623 adult participants, we found that for every 100 meter increase in distance from the OGD site, DBP was reduced by an average of 0.73 mmHg (95% CI: -1.26, -0.21) in this population. We observed stronger effects of proximity to OGD site on DBP among never smokers and among participants with a healthy BMI. The associations observed between proximity to OGD site and SBP were weaker but followed the same patterns as those for DBP. IMPACT Our study suggests that living near urban oil drilling sites is significantly associated with greater diastolic blood pressure in urban Los Angeles communities. This research improves understanding of impacts from living nearby drilling operations on the health and welfare of this community, which is critical to inform public health relevant strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill E Johnston
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Arbor J L Quist
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Shohreh F Farzan
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bhavna Shamasunder
- Department of Urban & Environmental Policy, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Shamasunder B, Johnston JE. The Imperative of Equitable Protection: Structural Racism and Oil Drilling in Los Angeles. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:1179-1181. [PMID: 37677115 PMCID: PMC10568512 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2023.307405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bhavna Shamasunder
- Bhavna Shamasunder is with the Urban & Environmental Policy Department and the Public Health Program, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. Jill E. Johnston is with the Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles
| | - Jill E Johnston
- Bhavna Shamasunder is with the Urban & Environmental Policy Department and the Public Health Program, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. Jill E. Johnston is with the Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles
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Chan M, Shamasunder B, Johnston JE. Social and Environmental Stressors of Urban Oil and Gas Facilities in Los Angeles County, California, 2020. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:1182-1190. [PMID: 37499202 PMCID: PMC10568508 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2023.307360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Objectives. To examine patterns of cumulative environmental injustice with respect to operations of urban oil and gas development in Los Angeles County, California. Methods. Using CalEnviroScreen (CES) 4.0, oil and gas data permit records, and US census data, we examined the association between CES score (grouped into equal quintiles, with the lowest representing low cumulative burden) and oil and gas development (presence or absence of an oil and gas production well) within 1 kilometer of a census block centroid. Results. Among census blocks in the highest quintile of CES score, we observed 94% increased odds of being within 1 kilometer of a well compared with census blocks in the lowest quintile of CES score (odds ratio = 1.94; 95% confidence interval = 1.83, 2.10). In our multivariable model, the proportion of Black residents and higher quintiles of CES score were also associated with increased odds of a nearby oil and gas well. Conclusions. These findings suggest that oil and gas facilities are operating in neighborhoods already cumulatively burdened and with higher proportions of Black residents. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(11):1182-1190. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307360).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Chan
- Marissa Chan is with the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Bhavna Shamasunder is with Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. Jill E. Johnston is with the University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Bhavna Shamasunder
- Marissa Chan is with the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Bhavna Shamasunder is with Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. Jill E. Johnston is with the University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Jill E Johnston
- Marissa Chan is with the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Bhavna Shamasunder is with Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. Jill E. Johnston is with the University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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Casey JA, Daouda M, Babadi RS, Do V, Flores NM, Berzansky I, González DJ, Van Horne YO, James-Todd T. Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:312-336. [PMID: 37581863 PMCID: PMC10504232 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier. Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA USA
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Misbath Daouda
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan S. Babadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Vivian Do
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Nina M. Flores
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Isa Berzansky
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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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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8
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González DJX, Morton CM, Hill LAL, Michanowicz DR, Rossi RJ, Shonkoff SBC, Casey JA, Morello‐Frosch R. Temporal Trends of Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Population Exposures to Upstream Oil and Gas Development in California. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2022GH000690. [PMID: 36968155 PMCID: PMC10035325 DOI: 10.1029/2022gh000690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
People living near oil and gas development are exposed to multiple environmental stressors that pose health risks. Some studies suggest these risks are higher for racially and socioeconomically marginalized people, which may be partly attributable to disparities in exposures. We examined whether racially and socioeconomically marginalized people in California are disproportionately exposed to oil and gas wells and associated hazards. We longitudinally assessed exposure to wells during three time periods (2005-2009, 2010-2014, and 2015-2019) using sociodemographic data at the census block group-level. For each block group and time period, we assessed exposure to new, active, retired, and plugged wells, and cumulative production volume. We calculated risk ratios to determine whether marginalized people disproportionately resided near wells (within 1 km). Averaged across the three time periods, we estimated that 1.1 million Californians (3.0%) lived within 1 km of active wells. Nearly 9 million Californians (22.9%) lived within 1 km of plugged wells. The proportion of Black residents near active wells was 42%-49% higher than the proportion of Black residents across California, and the proportion of Hispanic residents near active wells was 4%-13% higher than their statewide proportion. Disparities were greatest in areas with the highest oil and gas production, where the proportion of Black residents was 105%-139% higher than statewide. Socioeconomically marginalized residents also had disproportionately high exposure to wells. Though oil and gas production has declined in California, marginalized communities persistently had disproportionately high exposure to wells, potentially contributing to health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. X. González
- Division of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Claire M. Morton
- Mathematical and Computational Science ProgramStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | | | | | | | - Seth B. C. Shonkoff
- Division of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
- PSE Healthy EnergyOaklandCAUSA
- Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryEnergy Technologies AreaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | - Rachel Morello‐Frosch
- Division of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
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9
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Quist AJL, Van Horne YO, Farzan SF, Johnston JE. Metal Exposures in Residents Living Near an Urban Oil Drilling Site in Los Angeles, California. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:15981-15989. [PMID: 36288551 PMCID: PMC9670842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Urban environmental justice communities are potentially exposed to multiple toxic metals, through contaminated air, soil, water, and food. However, information on metals and their sources is lacking. This study uses non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) in a community-based participatory research study to identify potential sources and to understand how these metals cluster in a population near an urban oil drilling site. We recruited 203 Latinx, Black, and Asian residents who lived within 1 km of an oil drilling site in south Los Angeles and collected toenail clippings to assess exposure to arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and antimony (Sb). Using NMF, we identified three clusters based on concentrations in the participants' toenails. As, Cd, Pb, and Sb grouped together, indicative of an industrial source. A second grouping was composed of Ni and Mn, which may be related to oil drilling. We also identified a third source factor predominantly driven by Hg and As, which may arise from dietary sources. Utilizing NMF, a dimension reduction method, we identified a source factor high in Ni and Mn in residents living in a neighborhood near an active oil drilling site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arbor J. L. Quist
- Department of Population
and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto St, Los Angeles, California90032, United States
| | - Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne
- Department of Population
and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto St, Los Angeles, California90032, United States
| | - Shohreh F. Farzan
- Department of Population
and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto St, Los Angeles, California90032, United States
| | - Jill E. Johnston
- Department of Population
and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto St, Los Angeles, California90032, United States
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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
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Cassandra J. Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department 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
- Department 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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Deziel NC, McKenzie LM, Casey JA, McKone TE, Johnston JE, Gonzalez DJ, Shonkoff SB, Morello-Frosch R. Applying the Hierarchy of Controls to Oil and Gas Development. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2022; 17:071003. [PMID: 35910067 PMCID: PMC9328576 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac7967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Deziel
- Yale School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 60 College St., New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
- Corresponding author:
| | - Lisa M. McKenzie
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Thomas E. McKone
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
| | - Jill E. Johnston
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - David J.X. Gonzalez
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Seth B.C. Shonkoff
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
- PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland CA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
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Shamasunder B, Chan M, Navarro S, Eckel S, Johnston JE. Mobile daily diaries to characterize stressors and acute health symptoms in an environmental justice neighborhood. Health Place 2022; 76:102849. [PMID: 35780656 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Low-income communities and communities of color face multiple, cumulative environmental and social burdens. Methods development in environmental justice research has largely focused on spatial and quantitative approaches. Less attention has been paid to developing methodologies that help collect information on everyday stressors and quality of life experiences for residents in overburdened communities. Mixed methods approaches can be one way to structure study designs that help consider how residents experience environmental and socioeconomic impacts in a localized community context. In neighborhoods burdened by cumulative stressors, traditional cross-sectional epidemiological research designs can also be challenging, as well as limited or narrow in their application. However, repeat sampling of measures within a vulnerable population can approach a quasi-experimental design and help consider variations within residents in a single neighborhood as well as better parse relationships between exposures and outcomes. Through a community-academic partnership with university partners, local community partners, and a local promotores de salud (community health workers) network, we pilot tested a novel mobile daily diary approach in both English and Spanish in an urban, predominantly immigrant community in South Los Angeles as a potential method to collect information on daily stress, environmental quality, and health status/symptoms. We collected resident responses via a once per day 7-day SMS/text messaging survey. We sought to gather granular data on daily resident experiences of air pollution and environmental hazards. Residents reported acute health symptoms and stressors, with repeat measures demonstrating how residents might rank, categorize, or cope with stressors. We find that residents in environmental justice communities record variation in their daily diary responses and document changes in environmental quality, stressors, and odors. Refining this type of method could enable a more rigorous examination of co-occurrences of environmental quality and acute health symptoms. This approach supports the inclusion of residents in the research process and helps more systematically integrate open-ended environmental health relevant data in environmental justice efforts. Used with measured data such as air monitoring or health measures, mixed methods generated data can help support efforts that aim to alleviate sources of daily stress, alongside efforts to reduce overall pollution burdens. Mobile daily diaries can be one way to capture variable responses to environmental quality, acute health symptoms, and stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavna Shamasunder
- Urban & Environmental Policy Department and Public Health Program, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Marissa Chan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Bldg. 1, 14th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | | | - Sandrah Eckel
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jill E Johnston
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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13
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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: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [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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14
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Johnston JE, Okorn K, Van Horne YO, Jimenez A. Changes in neighborhood air quality after idling of an urban oil production site. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:967-980. [PMID: 34037015 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00048a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Oil and gas development is occurring in urban, densely populated neighborhoods; however, the impacts of these operations on neighborhood air quality are not well characterized. In this research, we leveraged ambient air monitoring adjacent to an oil and gas production site in Los Angeles, California during active and idle periods. This study analyzed continuous methane (CH4) and non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) measurements, together with triggered grab samples and 24 hour integrated canister samples collected by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Ambient air pollutant levels and trends were evaluated during active and idle well operations to assess changes in neighborhood air quality after the suspension of oil and gas production. We find that mean concentrations of methane, NMHC, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, styrene, n-hexane, n-pentane, ethane, and propane decreased following the stop in production activities. Using a source apportionment approach, we observed that the "natural gas" drilling source contributed 23.7% to the total VOCs measured during the active phase, and only 0.6% to the total measured VOCs in the idle phase. Near urban oil and gas production sites, residents may face poorer air quality due to the oil and gas activities which may pose adverse health and environmental risks among proximate communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill E Johnston
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - Kristen Okorn
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - Amanda Jimenez
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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