Resistance to Clean Air?

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment held a meeting today to discuss their proposal to reduce ozone emissions from oil and gas drilling in the Denver metro area. The industry reps and attorneys at the meeting chided CDPHE's proposal.

In a chat today, Rocky Mountain News environmental reporter stated, "the initial reaction from oil and gas operators suggests they believe ramped up emission controls are unreasonable." Unreasonable? The industry points to other sources of emissions, like cars. I don’t know about others, but my finger pointing ended about the 5^th grade, when I learned to take responsibility for my actions and listen to others.

But let’s take a look at what’s at stake here:

*A 1999 study found that for every 38 part per billion increase in 8-hour ozone readings, there was a 21.8% increase in emergency room visits among the elderly (see, Defino, R.J. 1999. Emergency room visits for respiratory illnesses among the elderly in Montreal: association with low level ozone exposure. Environmental Research 76:67-77).

*A 2001 study reports that hospital admissions for asthma complications increased when the 8-hour ozone average increased by 9% and admissions for other respiratory disorders increased when the 8-hour ozone average increased by 2.3% (see, Petroeschevsky, A. 2001. Associations between outdoor air pollution and hospital admissions in Brisbane, Australia. Archives of Environmental Health 56:37-52).

*And finally, a 2005 study on the effects of ozone on infants reported that for every 19 part per billion increase in 8-hour ozone averages, the incidence of difficulty breathing among infants increased by 28%. Among infants of asthmatic mothers, the incidence of difficulty breathing increased by 55% for every 19 part per billion increase. This same study concluded, "At levels of ozone exposure near or below current U.S. EPA standards, infants are at increased risk of respiratory symptoms, particularly infants whose mothers have physician-diagnosed asthma." (see, Triche, E.W., J.F. Gent, T.R. Holford, K. Belanger, M.B. Bracken, W.S. Beckett, L. Naeher, J. McSharry, and B.P. Leaderer. 2005. Low-level ozone exposure and respiratory symptoms in infants. Environmental Health Perspectives 14:911-916)

Based on the 2005 study, every 19 parts per billion decrease in 8-hour ozone readings would decrease the incidence of difficulty breathing among infants with asthmatic mothers by 55%. The state's proposed oil and gas ozone controls predict average decreases of over 2 parts per billion, leading to a nearly 7% reduction in the incidence of difficulty breathing among infants with asthmatic mothers and a nearly 3%decrease among all infants. I’m sorry, but this is not unreasonable; and while these decreases may seem small, this is the least we should be doing for our children.

The oil and gas industry has some nerve fighting clean air controls for Denver citizens.