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 gasoline wells with leak-prone tools.
There are over half one million wells throughout the nation which are producing lower than 15 barrels of oil and gasoline a day. However whereas they produce simply 6% of the nation’s oil and gasoline, a brand new examine reveals they’re inflicting half of wellsite air pollution nationwide.
Discover the map to study extra about your county.
This air pollution has a really actual influence on the local weather and on the well being of communities who stay close to these amenities. Not solely do these amenities emit vital volumes of the potent greenhouse gasoline methane, additionally they leak different air pollution that’s poisonous to human well being and might severely deteriorate air high quality.
Almost 8 million folks throughout the nation stay 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 influence on many traditionally marginalized or susceptible communities.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Who’s impacted most by neglected air pollution from America’s small oil and gasoline wells Click on To Tweet
For instance:
- In Loving County, Texas, 20% of the individuals who stay inside a half mile of a nicely are kids underneath 5.
- In Ohio’s Summit and Stark counties, practically 50,000 of the folks 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 amenities.
- In Los Angeles, California – an space already combating air high quality – practically 300,000 folks stay amongst these leaky amenities.
There are over 25 counties throughout the U.S. the place over 80% of the inhabitants is virtually residing subsequent door to one in every 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 want sturdy federal guidelines that shield communities throughout the nation.
At present, the Environmental Safety Company has proposed nationwide oil and gasoline methane protections – however the requirements put ahead by the company would omit many of those smaller wells with leak-prone tools from common inspection. We want President Biden to maneuver ahead with sturdy guidelines now and for EPA to step up, construct on the instance of states like Colorado and New Mexico, and tackle air pollution from these websites in its ultimate proposal.
We all know these wells pollute at charges 6-12 instances the nationwide common and are owned overwhelmingly by corporations with the sources to implement cost-effective options to cease unnecessary air pollution. The truth is, 75% of those wells are owned by corporations with over $300 million in annual income.
Obtain and share our infographic to study extra about communities impacted by this air pollution
Lowering oil and gasoline emissions is among the quickest, most inexpensive issues we are able to do to handle local weather change whereas lowering air air pollution, and the communities who stay and work amid these amenities want EPA to make sure they take pleasure in a greater, more healthy high quality of life and will not be made to bear the brunt of this air pollution.