Updated Natural Gas Extraction Ambient Air Monitoring Initiative

Transcription

1 Updated Natural Gas Extraction Ambient Air Monitoring Initiative Region 3 Air Protection Division Possible Extent of Natural Gas Extraction in PA & WV 1

2 Background/History March 2011 Administrator Jackson visits R3 after New York Times article Pledges support to R3 for Marcellus Shale related activities R3 staff started receiving more and more complaints/requests related to Marcellus Shale activities There was not a lot of data on air quality around Natural Gas Emissions for R3 R3 develops ambient monitoring plan that is similar to how the School Air Toxic Initiative was conducted Will perform initial screening sample collection to determine if longer term monitoring is warranted Since developing an air monitoring plan: Have briefed RA, AA, PA Senator s Office, SAD in the past Evaluated locations for possible monitoring sites Approached homeowners to get verbal approval to operate monitors on residential Received written consent from homeowners to set up monitors on property R3 Coordination w/ other agencies R3 has been coordinating with ATSDR, under CDC, since Fall 2011 on a joint ambient air monitoring effort Original Plan was for ATSDR to monitor for carbonyls and sulfur compounds at an impoundment station only and EPA to monitor at both the impoundment station and a compressor station The impoundment station closed and ATSDR set up locations around the compressor station Sampling durations will differ due to time constraints when funding will expire for ATSDR R3 has been in communication with PADEP & WVDEP PADEP is conducting longer term monitoring in SW PA PADEP is conducting ambient air monitoring at various NGE facilities in Washington Co., PA PADEP has allowed EPA to operate monitors at the Florence SLAMS site for background monitoring PADEP is also sharing their meteorological data from their station located near the Brigich Compressor Station WVDEP will be conducting ambient monitoring in drilling areas EPA and WVDEP have been in communication involving their monitoring activities 2

3 Sites in SW Penna. (Washington Co.) Yeager Impoundment Location: Amwell Township (Washington County), PA Technical/Logistical Rationale: The Yeager Impoundment (Impoundment) is one of the larger open air containment pools used for storing frack water in southwest PA. The Impoundment is expected to be active long term, unlike the drilling process which is days The pool has multiple (as much as 10) aerators operating that are designed to volatilize off certain compounds in the water that during the fracking process. EPA (via criminal tip hotline) was the first to meet residents living next to and nearby the Impoundment. There are residents who live within 0.25 miles of impoundment and have expressed concern as to the air quality they breathe due to living in such close proximity to the Impoundment. Residents have mentioned to EPA during site visits that there are definite odors that are detected that they claim originate from the Impoundment. Samples were collected and certain VOC compounds were detected near the Impoundment during PADEP s short term monitoring study. The sites where PADEP collected samples were not on the properties closest to the Impoundment. Communication: A line of communication was already established with the residents which provided the opportunity to obtain a verbal agreement for site access to operate monitoring equipment 9/14/2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 3

4 Yeager Impoundment Yeager Impoundment 4

5 Overview EPA is conducting VOC and PM2.5 sampling at Brigich Compressor Station in SWPA Facilities being sampled at are characterized as long term operation facilities (3) monitoring locations are in operation around the compressor station and there is a background monitoring location at the PADEP SLAMS site in Florence (~15 miles NW of compressor station) An EPA meteorological station is operating at the background site and R3 is utilizing met data from the Jaspen Way PADEP monitoring station Sampling occurs on a 1 in 3 day schedule. The goal is to collect at least 30 valid samples Currently about a third of the way through EPA R3 Ft. Meade Lab is analyzing canisters for TO 15 compounds ACHD is performing PM2.5 filter weighing Samples are being collected by R3 APD staff Sample results will be compared to long term and short term health based comparison values Values exceeding the comparison levels may warrant additional sampling to get a better data set in order to determine possible risk Location: Chartiers Twp., PA (Washington Co.) Technical/Logistical Rationale: Compressor in wide open space at local elevation maxima Compressor is expected to be active long term, unlike the drilling process which is days Neighborhood downwind East (about 0.3 mile) Single residence about 1500 feet North * Plenty of potential monitoring locations Facility is large 5 compressors 3 condensate tanks Flare in operation Two diesel 197hp generators at facility Dehydrator Communication: APD staff met w/ residents during a trip out to SW PA and had a brief conversation about the compressor sta. and utilizing their property for air monitoring 9/14/2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 5

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8 Location 3 Background 15 EPA Natural Gas Ambient Air Monitoring Initiative Team in field contacting residents door to door EPA begins collecting samples EPA Complete Draft Reports Oct Feb./Mar June July November Spring 2013 Summer 2013 EPA and ATSDR collaboration begins for Washington Co, PA monitoring Consent Forms signed by residents EPA sampling concluded Initiative complete, Final Reports Released Project timeline for the EPA NGAAMI Initiative in Washington Co. Pa September

9 Region 3 NGAAMI QUESTIONS? 9