A brand new EDF map is making it simpler to entry details about the communities throughout the nation who’re impacted by air pollution from small oil and fuel wells with leak-prone gear.
There are over half one million wells throughout the nation which might be producing lower than 15 barrels of oil and fuel a day. However whereas they produce simply 6% of the nation’s oil and fuel, a brand new research reveals they’re inflicting half of wellsite air pollution nationwide.
Discover the map to be taught extra about your county.
This air pollution has a really actual impression on the local weather and on the well being of communities who reside close to these services. Not solely do these services emit vital volumes of the potent greenhouse fuel methane, additionally they leak different air pollution that’s poisonous to human well being and might severely deteriorate air high quality.
Almost 8 million individuals throughout the nation reside inside half a mile of those nicely websites. A more in-depth have a look at the info reveals that air pollution from these wells has a disproportionate impression on many traditionally marginalized or weak communities.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Who’s impacted most by neglected air pollution from America’s small oil and fuel wells Click on To Tweet
For instance:
- In Loving County, Texas, 20% of the individuals who reside inside a half mile of a nicely are kids underneath 5.
- In Ohio’s Summit and Stark counties, practically 50,000 of the individuals residing close to air pollution are senior residents.
- In San Juan County, New Mexico, Native People make up 27% of these inside a half mile of those services.
- In Los Angeles, California – an space already combating air high quality – practically 300,000 individuals reside amongst these leaky services.
There are over 25 counties throughout the U.S. the place over 80% of the inhabitants is virtually residing subsequent door to certainly one of these leaky nicely websites. California, Colorado and New Mexico have taken steps to require corporations to get a deal with on this outsized air pollution from small wells, however we’d like robust federal guidelines that defend communities throughout the nation.
At the moment, the Environmental Safety Company has proposed nationwide oil and fuel methane protections – however the requirements put ahead by the company would omit many of those smaller wells with leak-prone gear from common inspection. We want President Biden to maneuver ahead with robust guidelines now and for EPA to step up, construct on the instance of states like Colorado and New Mexico, and deal with air pollution from these websites in its closing proposal.
We all know these wells pollute at charges 6-12 instances the nationwide common and are owned overwhelmingly by corporations with the assets to implement cost-effective options to cease unnecessary air pollution. Actually, 75% of those wells are owned by corporations with over $300 million in annual income.
Obtain and share our infographic to be taught extra about communities impacted by this air pollution
Decreasing oil and fuel emissions is likely one of the quickest, most reasonably priced issues we are able to do to handle local weather change whereas lowering air air pollution, and the communities who reside and work amid these services want EPA to make sure they take pleasure in a greater, more healthy high quality of life and aren’t made to bear the brunt of this air pollution.
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