Is
the cautious approach to regulating natural gas extraction preventing a public
health catastrophe?
The
New State Assembly felt that it is. On Wednesday March 5th, they
voted to extend a moratorium that will continue to put on hold the development
of New York State’s natural gas resources utilizing High Volume Hydraulic
Fracturing.
When
asked about the vote, most legislators cited a list of potential negative impacts.
Their action inadvertently offered an incomplete picture.
According
to the legislators, regulatory decisions should rest solely on potential negative impacts;
this stance unfortunately ignores any benefits.
There
is a cost to the delay. At the current air pollution rate, health conditions
associated with the inhalation of ultrafine soot or particulate matter (PM2.5)
will remain (28,000 premature deaths in United States, Canada and Cuba (WHO
Global Burden of Disease study) and 3,200 in New York City (NYC’s Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene)).
Three
years ago a study by the Environmental Defense Fund (“The Bottom of the
Barrel: How the Dirtiest Heating Oil Pollutes Our Air and Harms Our Health.” 16
December 2009) identified how PM2.5-related negative health
impacts could be reduced by replacing heating systems with cleaner burning
alternatives like natural gas.
Utilizing
this information, New York City issued a mandate that required polluting
heating systems to be “cleaned” up. A decision that will save lives and reduce
emergency room visits.
This
was good news to the 300,000 children in NYC diagnosed with asthma. What
about the asthmatic children living in the rest of the state? When will they
hear good news?
Natural
gas resources can be developed responsibly and safely by systematically
addressing factual concerns. If natural gas is utilized as a cleaner fuel
across the state, it can be anticipated that health indicators will
improve.
Uni
Blake is an Environmental Consultant who resides in the foothills of the
Catskill Mountains. She has been studying water and air quality monitoring
strategies that can be utilized to ensure the protection of human health and
the environment.
